Fibroids are non-cancerous growths made up of muscle and fibrous tissues that form inside the uterus. These growths range from tiny in size to as large as a rockmelon. It is estimated that around four in 10 women over the age of 40 will have fibroids. Many of these women have no symptoms. But if you suffer painful, heavy and/or lengthy bleeds, have backache, experience pain during sex or have a sudden increase in the need to urinate, fibroids may be to blame.
Causes
No one knows why fibroids develop, but it is believed that the hormones oestrogen and progesterone play significant roles. This is because fibroids rarely grow in girls before they reach puberty and pre-existing fibroids generally shrink once a woman passes menopause.
Diagnosis
Fibroids can be detected using an ultrasound, where sound waves create a two-dimensional picture. The inside of your uterus can be examined with a hysteroscope, which is a thin tube passed through the cervix (neck of the womb). A small camera may be placed at the tip of the hysteroscope, so that the interior of your uterus can be viewed on a monitor.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the location, size and number of fibroids but may include:
- Medications
Your doctor may prescribe hormones to shrink the fibroids.
- Surgery
Your doctor may remove the fibroids via the cervix, using a hysteroscope or he or she may elect to perform a laproscopy. If you have larger fibroids they will need to be removed via an abdominal incision.
- Monitoring
If the fibroids are causing no symptoms, a "wait and see" approach is sometimes adopted.
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