Uterine fibroids. You’ve probably heard of treatment for uterine fibroids. You know that it is, and, most likely, you know that at some point in a woman’s life, the risk of developing this condition increases significantly.
Do you have any reason to worry?
Many women have uterine fibroids at some point in their lives. Many do not even realize it because they do not experience symptoms. Uterine fibroids are often accidentally detected during a pelvic examination or ultrasound.
When symptoms do occur, however, they are directly affected by the location of the fibroid. The most common symptoms that signal the presence of a fibroid in the uterine cavity are:
- Dysmenorrhea (pain during menstruation) and menorrhagia (heavy menstruation)
- Pressure or pain in the lower abdomen
- Anemia
- Infertility, premature births, abortions
- Bladder problems
- Digestive problems
- Venous insufficiency (the presence of varicose veins in the lower limbs)
Uterine fibroids are not necessarily dangerous. However, there are cases in which they may cause discomfort and lead to complications, such as a decrease in red blood cells (anemia), which causes fatigue due to massive blood loss. Rarely a transfusion may be needed.
Do uterine fibroids mean cancer?
The first primary concern about uterine fibroids is whether they can be or become cancerous. The good news is that they are not cancerous; they are benign tumors that require specific investigations and treatments to reduce their size or remove them completely.
