Uterus Fibroid Treatment -Innovative 3 Ways of Treatment

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Uterus fibroid treatment is not a very uncommon term. But usually, women come to know about this condition after being diagnosed. Most of the time, it is looking for a cure than knowing about the disease.

That is where this article will aid in getting to know about the ailment itself. We will learn here about some basic anatomy of the uterus, other female reproductive organs, how they may work as a unit, what is uterus fibroid, could be its symptoms, and lastly, about uterus fibroid treatment.

There are no major known causes of uterus fibroids. But getting to know about it will help in diagnosing the disease. So, without any further delay, let us begin.

Female reproductive system

The female reproductive system consists of:

  • a pair of ovaries
  • fallopian tubes
  • uterus
  • cervix
  • vagina

The system helps the female ova manufactured in the ovaries reach the fertilization and implantation site. It leads to conception (pregnancy).

Basic anatomy

Ovaries

They are the main sex organs. They produce female gametes and other sex hormones as well. The ovaries are located on either side of the uterus situated in the lower abdomen. They are approximately 2 to 4 cm in length.

Fallopian tubes

These are small muscular tubes originating from the right and left upper part of the uterus. Fallopian tubes possess 4 regions, namely:

  • isthmus
  • ampulla
  • infundibulum
  • Fimbriae – small projections extend to the tip of the ovaries. They connect the ovaries to the uterus

Uterus

Uterus, in layman’s terms, is known as the womb. It has three regions as well as three layers. The regions in descending order are the

  • Fundus
  • Body
  • Cervix

The three layers entail:

  • endometrium (the inner glandular layer)
  • myometrium (the middle smooth muscle layer)
  • perimetrium (the outer layer)

Vagina

The vagina is a muscular and elastic tube that links the cervix to the external genitalia. It acts as a receptor for the penis during sexual intercourse and a birth canal during the baby’s delivery.

uterus fibroid treatment

Working

Ovulation

The ovaries carry out a series of procedures to prepare the female gametes. The outer layer (cortex) possesses many ovarian follicles that go through stages to become an ovum.

Every month a single ovum emerges out from the ovaries either to undergo fertilization in the presence of the sperm or disintegrate into fragments, causing menstruation (bleeding from vagina).

Fertilization

The ovum and sperms carry out the process of fusing at the site of fallopian tubes. The hair-like projections within the tubes provide motility to the ovum to reach the sperm.

Conception

After fertilization, the newly formed zygote declines into the uterus, where it gets implanted at the region of the endometrium. The fetus grows and develops for 37 to 39 weeks until labor onset.

What is meant by uterus fibroid?

A fibroid is also known as leiomyoma. They are benign (non-invasive) smooth muscle tumors. Some of the women suffering from uterus fibroid may not experience any symptoms. But on the other hand, some may experience an excessive amount of bleeding while menstruating.

The chances of these tumors developing into cancer are almost impossible. These tumors occur in women before menopause.

Your doctor may be able to rule out this ailment during a pelvic examination or prenatal examination.

These tumors may not develop into cancer, but they may grow to an extent to reach the rib cage. It will add up to the weight and discomfort in the patient.

Symptoms 

Some women may be asymptomatic to uterus fibroids, while others show tremendous amounts of varying symptoms. They are as under:

  • Constipation
  • Frequent urination
  • Heavy bleeding during menstruation
  • Pelvic strain and pain
  • Difficulty in emptying the bladder
  • Backache and leg pain
  • Menstrual period lasting more than seven days
  • Lethargy
  • Painful intercourse
  • Low red blood cell count in CBC (complete blood count) report

A fibroid may begin to deteriorate after outgrowing its blood supply. It may cause minor pain too.

Causes

It may be difficult for the doctors to point out the basic or minor causes of Uterus fibroid. However, the researchers have pointed out different aspects that may lead to this. Some of them are briefly described below:

Genetic alterations 

During many samples of different biopsies from different patients, evident mutations were observed that differed from the typical uterine smooth muscle (myometrium) cells.

Growth factors

Some doctors may inform that as a side effect, and birth control may increase the growth of the uterus fibroid. Even insulin-like growth factors that naturally help maintain the tissue mass may also lead to uterus fibroid growth.

Hormones

The sex hormones, namely estrogen, and progesterone, are secreted in abundance during each menstrual cycle. They help develop the uterine lining as a prerequisite for pregnancy. These hormones tend to enhance the growth of fibroids.

Extracellular matrix (ECM)

ECM is a substance that keeps the cells joined together. In the fibroids, the ECM is increased, making it more fibrous. ECM also contains the growth factors in abundance causing changes in cell metabolism.

Diagnostics

Women showing evident symptoms of uterus fibroids are prescribed to undergo some tests for further study. Some of them are given below.

Ultrasound 

For better confirmation of the fibroids, ultrasound is considered the first line of action. It uses sound waves to acquire images and their locations and measure the size of fibroids as well.

Different probes (transducers) are used either over the abdomen or placed inside the vagina for acquiring pictures.

Laboratory tests

Certain lab tests are advised if the patient is experiencing excessive menstrual bleeding. This includes a complete blood count (CBC) to look for anemia or other tests to diagnose other bleeding disorders.

Hysterosalpingography

This test is used to determine the patency of fallopian tubes. It is used to check whether the tubes are open or obstructed. Doctors usually suggest this test for infertility. A contrast (dye) is inserted in the uterine cavity through the vagina. X-ray images are taken during this procedure to rule out any uterus fibroids there.

Uterus Fibroid Treatment

Medications

Medications recommended for uterus fibroid treatment act on the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. These medications can be just symptomatic and therapeutic, treating heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pain and pressure. They include:

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists

These types of medications help in uterus fibroid treatment. What they do is inhibit the production of progesterone and estrogen. This causes temporary menopause in the consumer.

This is how menstruation stops making the fibroids shrink. Even the anemia improves to a certain point of endurance. Some of the GnRH agonists are listed below:

  • Goserelin (Zoladex)
  • Leuprolide
  • Triptorelin

The limitations of its usage are 3 to 6 months. Longtime consuming can cause loss of bone density. Doctors may prescribe this medication to shrink the uterus fibroid before any planned surgery.

Progestin releasing hormone intrauterine device (IUD)

A progestin releasing IUD is an asymptomatic medication (only treats the symptoms). It tends to provide patients relief from heavy bleeding caused by uterus fibroid. This medication tends to inhibit pregnancies as well during consumption. This medication doesn’t shrink the fibroids.

Non-invasive procedures

Usually, for non-invasive procedures for uterus fibroid treatment, MRI-guided procedures are done. For instance, there is this focused ultrasound surgery (FUS).

FUS is done while the patient is under an MRI scanner. A high-energy ultrasound transducer is used to take images. Doctors mark the exact location of the uterus fibroid. Then the sound waves are focused on the site of the fibroid. It heats the fibroid and destroys the said tissue.

Minimal invasive procedures

These procedures are for uterus fibroid treatment, done without the necessity to remove the whole uterus.

Some of them are briefly described below:

Uterine artery embolization

In this procedure, embolic agents are used. These agents are injected into the arteries supplying blood to the fibroids. They block the blood vessels making the fibroids shrink and die ultimately.

This procedure may create complications if the blood supply to the main organ is cut off. However, the risks are lesser than the benefits.

Laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy

Myomectomy is a uterus fibroid treatment in which the surgeon removes the uterus fibroids keeping the uterus intact.

Suppose the said fibroids are more than one but smaller in size than doctors go for laparoscopic or robotic procedures. In this, thin instruments are inserted into the body through incisions in the lower abdomen to remove the uterus fibroids.

The larger uterus fibroid treatment include morcellation (breaking them into smaller pieces).

The doctors get a 3d view of the uterus through the monitors. It provides them greater chances in precision and better dexterity than other procedures.

Traditional surgical procedure – Hysterectomy

It is one of the plausible permanent procedure for uterus fibroid treatment. This surgery results in the removal of the uterus.

Hysterectomy cancels the chances of childbearing. Some patients decide to get their ovaries removed as well. It adds up to the onset of menopause. But most of the patients choose to keep their ovaries intact.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are there any preventive measures for uterus fibroids?

Preventing a tumor from developing, such as uterus fibroid itself, may not be plausible, but choosing a healthy lifestyle and implementing it will help lead a less troublesome life. Eating fruits and vegetables and maintaining a healthy body weight will reduce the risks of fibroids.

Is there a link between uterus fibroids and miscarriage?

There is a strong link between both of them. Especially, the submucous and intramural fibroids have been observed in many patients to have a direct link between fibroids and consistent miscarriage.

How common are uterus fibroids?

Fibroids tend to develop in up to 77% of women, but only a quarter of the population having fibroids experience symptoms. No symptoms mean not to worry about the fibroid together.

Are uterus fibroids cancerous?

The chances of the fibroids turning into cancer are like 1:1000. As fibroids are benign, they tend to get shrink over time. Sometimes it is not even to worry about but still being alert would be wise.

How much bleeding is considered heavy bleeding in uterus fibroids?

If the patient experiences longer periods exceeding seven days, if the flow is tremendously heavy, this is the time of concern, and it is time to reach out to your doctor.

Conclusion

It is to be hoped that what the article claimed to give you, in the beginning, has been provided to you at last. It covered almost all the topics of concern regarding uterus fibroid treatment.

Not only that, but you also got to know about the basic anatomy of the female reproductive system and its working, what to look out for in regards to its symptoms, what its causes, and how it can be treated under the guidance of several doctors.

It’s not about the disease that affects you but how you let yourself be affected by it mentally. So, at last, stay happy and healthy.


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