Fibroid Tumors

Fibroid tumors are very common in women and often go undetected. The reason behind this is that these tumors are almost never cancerous and do not lead to uterine cancer either. These tumors are made up of muscle mass and connecting tissues and embed themselves in the walls of the uterus. These tumors may also grow in the lining of the uterus or between the muscles and sometimes towards the exterior part of the uterus. Uterine fibroid tumors can either grow as single nodule or in clusters.

Doctors and researchers are not sure what really causes these tumors but they are found in women in their reproductive age. Women aging from 30 to 40 are more prone to getting these tumors and women who have previously given birth have less chances of developing these tumors. Uterine tumors or myoma as they are also called often cause no pain and discomfort. That is probably why they go mostly unnoticed. These tumors might be caused by genetic or environmental factors or a combination of both but nothing has been conclusively proven as yet.

As mentioned earlier the fibroid tumors are mostly benign in nature and there is a very little chance that they turn into cancer. Not harmful in that way but still they can cause pain and discomfort if they grow too much in size. The smaller ones usually go unnoticed. Some women never experience any other symptoms but the only thing that might indicate the presence of these tumors is painful and heavy menstruation and bleeding between the menstruation dates.

In some women there is an increased need to urinate because the fibroid tumors might be exerting pressure on the bladder. Lower back pain and pain and discomfort during intercourse are also experienced. So if you experience any of these symptoms you should see your gynecologist immediately because these tumors can become very harmful during pregnancy and childbirth.

Some women are unable to conceive because of these tumors as well because they are a known cause of infertility. They might block the path of the sperm and do not let it reach the egg or interfere in many other ways. If conception takes place they might cause miscarriage.

It is advisable that you get examined for fibroid tumors from time to time. Especially if you are planning a family you should have an examination even if there are no symptoms at all. That will ensure that you will not encounter any serious problems during your pregnancy. The examination is usually carried out by your gynecologist through a vaginal exam. Ultra sounds, x-rays, CT scans and MRI are also used to detect the tumors.

Some women prefer to leave the tumors untreated since in some cases they cause no pain and no complications, however women who have severe symptoms can get the tumors treated very easily. Fibroid embolization is the basic treatment used to treat fibroid tumors. It is a minimally invasive procedure and the procedure simply ensures that the blood flow to the tumors is stopped and so they shrink when no blood supply reaches them.