The uterus plays a vital role in both reproductive and overall health for women, from the shedding of the uterine lining during the menstrual cycle to carrying a baby from fetus to delivery. Located in your pelvis between your bladder and rectum, it can grow from about the size of a lemon to that of a watermelon when you become pregnant.
Several conditions can affect the uterus, such as uterine fibroids that affect as many as 80% of women by age 50. The effects of these fibroids are often mild, but knowing when to seek medical help is essential. Here are the signs that your fibroids need treating.
Dr. Staci McHale and the team at WHASN Sunset Valley help the women of Las Vegas, Nevada, with many reproductive issues, including dealing with the symptoms and complications of uterine fibroids.
These non-cancerous tumors, also known as leiomyomas, are muscle and connective tissue growths that form on the uterine wall, either as a single nodule or a cluster. They can range in size from 1 millimeter to 30 centimeters (or about eight inches) and can develop in the uterine wall, inside the main cavity, or on the outer surface.
These and other factors determine the type of fibroid you have, which can include:
Aside from the pedunculated type, most fibroids are round, smooth, bumpy growths, and if you have very small ones, you may not even know they’re there.
Fibroids happen most frequently during your reproductive years, and while the exact reasons they develop aren’t well understood, the common factors that lead to them include changes in the genes, hormonal changes, growth factors, and increased extracellular matrix (ECM). The last factor is the material that helps cells stick together and increase in fibroids.
The risk of fibroids also increases with family history, starting your periods before age 10, and being a Black woman. Common signs of uterine fibroids include pelvic pressure, longer periods, periods that happen more often, frequent urination, problems urinating, constipation, stomach or lower back pain, and pain during sex.
If you have any of the symptoms mentioned, you should seek medical help for your fibroids, but some symptoms indicate the problems may be more severe. These include sharp, sudden abdominal pains, pain that medications don’t help, severe vaginal bleeding, and signs of possible anemia, such as lightheadedness, weakness, and extreme fatigue.
Fibroids can, in rare cases, also affect pregnancy, leading to infertility and other complications through placental abruption, fetal growth restriction, and preterm delivery.
Uterine fibroids can be unpleasant, but often come and go unnoticed. When you do have symptoms, and they become bad enough that you need help, make an appointment with Dr. McHale and the WHASN Sunset Valley team today.
