Uterine fibroids are very common in women of child-bearing age. They are non-cancerous tumors in the uterus that often go unnoticed. The appearance of these tumors have no association with an increased risk of uterine cancer and rarely develop into cancer.
It is not yet known what causes uterine fibroids, but clinical research indicates there are a few factors that contribute to their development. Fibroids contain alterations in genes that code for uterine muscle cells.
It is believed that the increase of the hormones estrogen and progesterone contribute to uterine fibroids since fibroids contain higher amounts of these hormones than do regular uterine muscle cells. Other chemicals in the body that help to maintain tissues are also believed to be a contributing factor in the development of uterine fibroids.
Most women will develop fibroid tumors sometime during their life, but most do not know they have them because they produce very little symptoms. They are most likely to be discovered during a pelvic exam or prenatal ultrasound. They rarely cause problems or require treatment.
If they do cause some discomfort, medical treatment and surgery can be used to shrink or remove them from the uterine wall. In very rare cases, emergency surgery may be needed in instances where uterine fibroids cause severe bleeding or sharp pelvic pain.
Common symptoms of uterine fibroids include painful menstrual periods that last longer than normally, heavier bleeding during periods than normally, pressure in lower abdomen, more frequent urination, painful intercourse, and constipation. If your symptoms develop so severe that they significantly affect for the quality of your life, you should immediately contact to your doctor.
When a blood supply of the fibroids is inadequate they may start to die. This can cause pain due to byproducts of the dying fibroid. Sometimes the pain can be rather strong, and in those cases it is recommended to contact to your doctor.
If the fibroids develop inside of the uterus they can cause increased and prolonged bleeding during menstrual periods. These fibroids can also cause difficulties to get pregnant. When the fibroids are outside of the uterus they can cause for example constipation, difficulties to urinate, increased need of urination, and pain in lower back, depending on their location.
Once again, if you continuously experience symptoms mentioned in this article, you need to get some professional advice. Even though uterine fibroids are not usually hazardous, the symptoms you experience may also be symptoms of some other more serious condition.