Types of Uterine Fibroids
A high percentage of women experience uterine fibroids by the time they reach the age of 50. If you have heavy periods or experience other fibroids symptoms, seek help from an experienced radiologist from fibroids in Houston, TX. The health center offers fibroids treatment that reduces fibroid bleeding and shrinks fibroids to end the symptoms faster.
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids grow in the uterus and usually occur during childbearing years. It is also known as myomas or leiomyomas. The fibroids are not associated with risks of uterine cancer, and they don’t develop cancer.
Fibroids start from seedlings that cannot be detected by the human eye and can grow to bulky substances that can enlarge and distort the uterus. Multiple fibroids expand the uterus and the rib cage and add weight.
Diagnosis
Uterine fibroids are found during a pelvic exam. The doctor might feel irregularities in the uterus shape and suggest fibroids presence. If you have uterine fibroids symptoms, the doctor might suggest these tests:
Ultrasound. Your doctor can order an ultrasound for confirmation. It requires sound waves to get an image of the uterus to measure and map fibroids and confirm a diagnosis. A technician or a doctor moves the transducer over the abdomen or inside the vagina to obtain the uterus’s images.
Lab tests. If you experience abnormal bleeding, the doctor can order several tests to investigate the causes. This can involve a complete blood count to identify if you have anemia due to other blood tests and chronic blood loss to rule out thyroid problems and bleeding disorders.
Types of fibroids
- Subserosal fibroids
They usually develop on the outer uterine wall. This type of tumor can continuously grow outwards, increasing the size. Subserosal fibroid tumor puts additional pressure on the organs around. Symptoms usually don’t include excessive or abnormal bleeding or interfere with a woman’s menstrual flow. On the other hand, these tumors cause pressure and pelvic pain.
- Intramural fibroids
They develop in the uterine wall and begin to expand from there. They are the most common. When this tumor expands, it makes the uterus appear larger than normal, which can sometimes be mistaken for weight gain and pregnancy.
As the fibroids grow, they can cause excessive bleeding, leading to pelvic pain, clot passing, and menstrual cycle. This happens from excessive pressure on the organs around by the growth of fibroids, which can cause pressure and continuous urination.
- Submucosal fibroids
This type of fibroid tumor is not common. They develop under the uterine cavity lining. Large submucosal fibroid tumors can increase the uterus size cavity and blocks fallopian tubes that cause complications with fertility. Some symptoms associated with submucosal fibroids include excessive, heavy, and prolonged bleeding. Prolonged and untreated bleeding might cause other critical problems like fatigue or anemia that can lead to blood transfusions in the future.
A woman can experience all these types of fibroid tumors. If you have multiple fibroid tumors, it might be difficult to comprehend which fibroid is causing the symptoms. A woman who has one fibroid has to consider the presence of multiple uterine fibroids that are undetected. Alate Health in Houston offers the best fibroid treatments. Schedule an appointment online today.