Fibroids, or myomas, are non-cancerous tumors that can grow in or outside the uterus, with potential causes including race and being overweight. Symptoms can include heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic discomfort, and difficulty urinating or emptying bowels. Treatment options include medication, myomectomy, and hysterectomy.
A myoma is a tumor that most often grows in or outside the uterus and referred to by its more familiar name, fibroid. These tumors are not cancerous and many women who get them never know they have them. In some cases, multiple tumors are present or a single myoma grows extremely large and begins to cause symptoms. It bears repeating that fibroids can be completely asymptomatic and so small that they would be difficult to diagnose. Others enlarge significantly, are easy to visualize with tools such as ultrasound, and may require treatment to better promote comfort.
It’s not always known why a woman might develop fibroids. Some potential causes include race, where it appears that women of African descent are at a higher risk of getting a myoma or more than one. Women with other family members who have these may also be at increased risk. Being overweight can also increase your risk of developing a myoma.
If one or more myomas were to develop and be symptomatic, people could expect symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding. During the “bleeding” part of the menstrual cycle, more pads per day may be saturated, and the cycle length may be longer, often exceeding seven days. Some women also have spotting between periods.
If the fibroids are large, they can put pressure on the uterus and bladder. Some women feel the need to urinate frequently or have difficulty emptying their bladder or bowels completely. Others may experience discomfort in the pelvic region and have a sense of constant cramping.
One of the biggest problems with having a large myoma is the risk of bleeding so heavily that iron deficiency or anemia develops. Cases of heavy bleeding and significant spotting should be brought to the attention of a physician. Also, fibroids growing outside the uterus may be attached to it by a small connection called the stem, and if this suddenly becomes twisted, extreme pain can develop. People need immediate treatment if they experience extreme pelvic pain.
Sometimes the presence of one or more larger myomas puts women at greater risk of miscarriage and this needs to be addressed through removal of the tumor. On the other hand, many women have fibroids and experience perfectly healthy pregnancies. The presence of these growths does not necessarily indicate the need for medical intervention.
Many women who develop fibroids have enough unpleasant symptoms that they require treatment. In the past, this treatment was aggressive and, if the fibroids were large, almost always involved hysterectomy or removal of the uterus. There are now effective treatment strategies that are less invasive. A new treatment method uses sound waves to remove fibroids in a procedure called focused ultrasound surgery.
Another option for treating myoma is to take medications that can cause the fibrous tissue to shrink. Alternatively, women can opt for surgical removal of the fibroids, known as a myomectomy. For worst cases, where fibroids cause health risks, hysterectomy may still be considered, as removing the uterus means the fibroids can no longer grow.
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