Most women are likely to develop uterine fibroids in their lifetime. However, they may not show noticeable symptoms until your doctor identifies them during a pelvic exam. Alate Health offers different treatment options that can help shrink and reduce the symptoms of fibroids. The cause of fibroids remains unknown, but some factors put you at a higher risk of developing fibroids. Your treatment will relieve your symptoms rather than shrink the uterine fibroids.
What are Uterine Fibroids?
Fibroids develop as cancerous growths in the uterus but hardly develop into cancer. Uterine fibroids have different sizes, from undetectable to bulky masses that destroy the appearance and enlarge your uterus. You may have multiple fibroids but fail to notice them because they hardly show symptoms. The symptoms you may develop if you show any can include heavy menstrual bleeding that may last more than a week, pelvic pain and pressure, constipation, frequent urination, and back pains. Fibroids hardly cause sharp pain.
Do Fibroids Affect Pregnancy?
Fibroids may not interfere with your conception. However, submucosal fibroids may cause infertility and pregnancy loss. The condition can increase your risk of placental abruption, restrict growth, and lead to preterm delivery.
What is the Diagnosis and Treatment for Uterine Fibroids?
Your doctor may detect uterine fibroids during a pelvic exam by feeling irregularities in your uterus, which may indicate fibroids. Your doctor may carry out an ultrasound to give images of your uterus. You may also need lab tests if you have abnormal bleeding. Your doctor may also do imaging tests, including MRI, hysteroscopy, and hysterosonography. Your treatment options may include the following.
Waiting
You may experience no symptoms at all if you have fibroids. Therefore your doctor may recommend watchful waiting. Fibroids are noncancerous and tend to grow slowly, and when your reach menopause, they shrink.
Medications
There are several medications your doctor can recommend to target your menstrual hormones. The medications treat the symptoms of your menstrual cycle, including heavy bleeding, but they do not get rid of fibroids. You can have a progestin-releasing IUD to offer you relief from heavy bleeding. Your doctor can also give you gonadotropin-releasing hormone to block estrogen and progesterone production, making you stay in a temporary menopause state.
Noninvasive Treatment
Your doctor can use an MRI-guided surgery to preserve your uterus. The procedure will happen inside an MRI scanner where the energy targets the exact location of the fibroids. The ultrasound will then heat the fibroids and destroy their tissues.
Minimally Invasive Procedures
Your doctor may recommend procedures that do not involve surgery to destroy uterine fibroids. The treatments can include uterine artery embolization, where your doctor injects embolic agents to cut off blood supply to the fibroids. The fibroids eventually shrink off and die. Your doctor may also use radiofrequency ablation, which uses energy to destroy fibroids.
Explore your treatment for uterine fibroids at the Alate Health facility. You may be unable to prevent fibroids, but you can lower your risk of getting fibroids when you choose to practice some healthy habits. Talk to the facility’s service providers if you suspect fibroids’ development. You can begin your treatment by visiting the website and making your appointment.
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