Uterine Fibroids: Causes and Treatments

 

A uterine fibroid is a muscular tumor that grows in the wall of the uterus (womb). This type of tumor is almost always benign. The medical term for a fibroid tumor is a “leiomyoma” or “myoma.” A woman may have a single fibroid or multiple fibroids at an given time and they can widely range in size from the side of a seed to the size of a grapefruit.
A large percentage of women will develop one or more fibroid tumors by the age of fifty. They are most common in women in their forties and early fifties. Some women with fibroids experience no symptoms at all. For others, fibroids can be very difficult and cause symptoms such as pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, frequent urination and rectal pressure.
The exact cause of uterine fibroids is not fully understood at this point. However, researchers believe that a variety of factors including hormone levels and genes may play a role in the development of uterine fibroids.

If you have uterine fibroids but are not experiencing any symptoms, your physician may recommend that you simply monitor the growth of the fibroids. If you have symptoms, your doctor may recommend medications to shrink the fibroids or surgery to remove them. Fortunately, advances in medical technology have provided a minimally invasive method for removing uterine fibroids. This method is much safer than abdominal surgery and requires a much shorter recovery period.

Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. in Marietta, Georgia is pleased to offer MyoSure® to the residents of North Georgia. MyoSure® is a minimally invasive and highly effective of fibroid removal. If you are experiencing symptoms and think that it may be due to uterine fibroids, please contact Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. to get more information about MyoSure® and to find out if this solution is right for you.

Posted on behalf of Dr. Carlos Alarcon, Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A.