Uterine fibroids

Uterine fibroids are one of the most common tumor types be found in the female’s genital tract. They are also known as fibroids, and they also have some other names like fibromyoma, myoma or leiomyoma.

The fibroids are non-cancerous tumors which develop in the wall of uterus of the person. They usually do not cause any symptoms. However, there some cases when the size and location of fibroids can affect the person. The patient will experience pelvic pain, heavy bleeding and some pressure-related symptoms like high urination frequency, swelling, bloating. Fibroids can also be linked with infertility.

The uterine fibroids are very common and, sometimes, they are so small that they don’t cause any problem. Almost 20 to 40 percent women over the age of 35 may have uterine fibroids of larger size. The African-American women are the ones who are at higher risk, as 50 percent of them can have uterine fibroids of large size.

There are many sizes in fibroids as they can range from very small to so big that they can be the size of a cantaloupe melon or even larger. Sometime, they can make the uterus to so big that it may appear that the patient is having a 5-month pregnancy or more. The fibroids can be in many different parts of the uterus. There are three kind of uterine fibroids:

Submucosal fibroids

These fibroids can be found in the outside covering of the uterus and can expand through the wall, which gives the uterus a lump-like look. These fibroids usually do not affect the woman’s menstrual flow, but they can be the reason of pelvic pain, pressure on surrounding organs and back pain. Sometime, it is difficult to differentiate fibroids from the ovarian mass. For making the best diagnosis of fibroids, an ultrasound or a MRI may be required.

Intramural fibroids

These fibroid are present in the lining of the uterus and can expand from the inside of the uterus. As a result, they can increase the size of the uterus. These are most common types of fibroids. These fibroids can cause heavier menstrual bleeding than normal in patients.

Submucosal fibroids

These fibroids are located in the uterine cavity. These are the least common type of fibroids, but they create the most number of problems. Even if this type of fibroid is small, it can cause heavy bleeding and prolonged periods. They even affect the patient’s fertility.