What are Fibroids?
These are benign (non cancerous) tumours of uterine muscle. As many as 3 out of 4 women have fibroids during their child bearing age but many do not notice because they usually do not cause any symptoms.
Do I need treatment?
Fibroids need to be treated only if they cause symptoms. Symptoms include infertility, heavy or irregular bleeding, swelling of abdomen, pressure symptoms on bladder and bowel like incontinence, frequency or difficulty in emptying.
Treatments for Fibroids
Medical treatments include hormonal treatments like pills, injections and intrauterine hormonal devices. Treatments to shrink fibroids like hormonal injections are sometimes used prior to surgery.
Newer treatments involving radio frequency and low power lasers are available but their long term results are unknown.
Surgical treatments may include:
- Myomectomy
- Resection of fibroid
- Hysterectomy (removal of womb)
You can find out more about Fibroids on the NHS website:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Fibroids/Pages/Treatment.aspx
Morcellation for Myomectomy or Hysterectomy