Let’s begin with the most important fact about uterine fibroids: they are almost always a benign type of tumor. That means they will rarely become cancerous, which comes as a relief if you’ve recently been diagnosed with fibroids.
For the women in and around Fairbanks, Alaska, who rely on Interior Women’s Health for their gynecologic needs, Karl Baurick, MD, and Doris Heilman, MD, are here to provide science-backed information and guidance, including the latest treatment options for issues like uterine fibroids.
Just the word “tumor” is enough to send most people into a panic, but when it comes to uterine fibroids, there is no need to let anxiety overwhelm you. The majority of women will experience uterine fibroids at one point or another during their childbearing years, and many will have no idea they have the condition.
Fibroids can develop on the exterior of your uterus, within your uterine walls, or inside the uterine cavity. You can have one fibroid or many, and they can range in size from smaller than the human eye can detect to so large they extend your abdomen as if you were pregnant.
Very often, uterine fibroids are discovered during a normal pelvic exam. You might not have any symptoms at all, which is why it can come as a shock to learn you have one or more fibroids.
Fibroids rarely become cancerous, but that doesn’t mean they can’t cause problems. Let’s begin by focusing on abnormal bleeding, one of the primary signs of uterine fibroids. Most women with multiple or larger uterine fibroids will experience abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding.
In some cases, the bleeding can be so intense that it leads to anemia. If you develop anemia and it goes untreated, you risk multiple adverse health outcomes, including heart damage.
Fertility is another area where uterine fibroids can cause serious problems. In fact, an inability to get pregnant leads many women to come in for an exam, at which point uterine fibroids are discovered.
Unusual growths within or on the outside of your uterus can make it difficult to conceive and also increase the risk of complications if you can get pregnant. If you are diagnosed with fibroids and want to have children (or might want to take that step in the future), you should seriously consider treatments to reduce or eliminate the fibroids.
There are many ways to treat uterine fibroids, and one that suits virtually every set of needs. At one time, hysterectomy, or the surgical removal of the uterus, was the primary treatment for fibroids. Today, while hysterectomy is still an option, multiple less invasive treatment avenues are also available.
One option is myectomy or surgical removal of fibroids. This type of surgery can sometimes be performed through your vaginal opening, which requires no incisions. Fibroids can also be removed using laparoscopic procedures using tiny incisions.
There are also nonsurgical paths you can take to treat uterine fibroids. One approach, uterine artery embolization, involves injecting tiny particles inside the arteries that bring blood to the fibroids. This causes them to shrink and eventually die.
Medications can also help shrink uterine fibroids. Some temporarily block your natural hormone production, helping you prepare for fibroid surgery or ease the transition into menopause.
Focused ultrasound therapy is performed while you are in an MRI imaging scanner. Your practitioner can “see” the exact location of fibroids and direct sound waves into the abnormal tissue, destroying the fibroids without surgery. Radiofrequency ablation is yet another option, and radiofrequency energy destroys targeted fibroid tissue.
Unless your fibroids are small and not causing any symptoms, taking a “wait and see” approach is not always a good decision. This is especially true if there is any chance you’d like to become pregnant down the line.
Even if you have no plans for pregnancy, untreated uterine fibroids can still cause excessive bleeding and eventually lead to anemia. Taking care of fibroids early helps reduce the risk of adverse outcomes.
When you’re ready to learn more, the women’s health specialists at Interior Women’s Health are here to help. Call the office during normal business hours or visit the online scheduling page to make an appointment.
