Although uterine fibroids are tumors, they are not that scary. They are benign tumors and are relatively common in our lives. The common symptoms include irregular menstruation, excessive leucorrhea, and pressure in the abdomen. Generally speaking, if the condition is not serious, no treatment is needed. If the condition is more serious or the symptoms are obvious, surgery or medication will be needed.
What are fibroids?
Fibroids are non-malignant tumors found in the uterus and can be classified as interstitial, subplasmic or submucosal depending on their location in the muscles of the uterus, although they can grow in multiple locations at the same time.
Usually, few girls under 20 years of age suffer from uterine fibroids, and the high incidence of the disease is between 30 and 50 years of age, and most of them are benign, so patients do not need to be overly burdened with thoughts. However, with the passage of time, the tumor in the uterus may grow more and more or become larger, which may lead to infertility, so women of childbearing age should be extra careful.
Symptoms of uterine fibroids
1. Abnormal menstruation. The most obvious manifestation is increased flow and prolonged cycle time. Fibroids may change the shape and volume of the uterine cavity, affecting the normal function of the muscles, as well as causing compression of the venous vessels, so that the bleeding during menstruation is affected.
2. Small abdominal masses. With the increase of fibroids in the uterus, patients can touch obvious swollen masses from the outside of the small abdomen, and the volume of the small abdomen will gradually become larger, accompanied by a significant feeling of swelling.
3.Leborrhea abnormalities. The patient’s leucorrhea will increase significantly and become thick and odorous, and sometimes there may be tissue similar to rotting flesh discharged, with an unpleasant smell.
4. Frequent urination or difficulty in urination. The enlarged fibroids may compress the bladder or ureter, causing many abnormalities when urinating.
5. Abdominal and body discomfort. Women with fibroids usually feel swelling in the lower abdomen, which may develop into back pain or weakness, and this phenomenon may become more serious during menstruation.
6. Infertility. If fibroids in the uterus compress or block the fallopian tubes, women’s chances of pregnancy are greatly reduced.
7.Secondary anemia. Long-term prolonged menstrual period combined with large menstrual volume may cause anemia, resulting in weakness, dizziness, panic and many other discomforts.
8.Low blood sugar. This condition is extremely rare and will disappear immediately after tumor removal. Patients will feel obvious dizziness and even shock when fasting, which will be slowly relieved after a little glucose injection.
If the condition is not contained in time, fibroids may develop various lesions. Generally speaking, only 0.4% to 0.8% of benign fibroids will turn into malignant tumors, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to beware of the risk of cancer.
Causes of uterine fibroids
The study of the causes of fibroids has a guiding role in the prevention and control of the disease, and only after understanding the causes can doctors prescribe the right medicine to help patients solve their problems.
1. Excessive secretion of estrogen
The endocrine system maintains the normal level of hormones in the body, but under the influence of certain external factors, this balance can easily be broken. Compared to women of other ages, women of childbearing age may be subject to more external stimuli, such as frequent use of birth control pills, diet pills, frequent use of skin whitening products, or exposure to radiation contaminated items, etc. These may trigger myometrium. These may trigger uterine fibroids.
2, sexual life disharmony
If the couple’s life has been problematic for a long time, it will also affect the level of hormone secretion in the body, leading to chronic congestion in the uterus and laying hidden dangers to induce fibroids in the uterus.
3, genetic reasons
According to the latest research data, about twenty percent of patients with uterine fibroids have individual chromosomes that are different from the norm, so some patients do not exclude genetic causes of fibroids in the uterus.
4.Never had a child
The process of childbirth is also a natural immunity to gynecological diseases for women. From pregnancy to the first period during breastfeeding, the mother-to-be will not have her period for at least a year, and the level of hormones related to the ovaries will remain low, so the uterus will not get any disease for endocrine reasons. However, this “rest period” is not experienced by women who have not had children, and these women are prone to hormone-dependent diseases, including uterine fibroids.