Anywhere from 20%-80% of women in the United States have uterine fibroids at some point during their childbearing years. Though fibroids are harmless for the most part, some cases can cause uncomfortable symptoms that are too difficult to ignore.
What can you do when you have these noncancerous tumors? Will uterine fibroids resolve naturally?
Some uterine fibroids resolve naturally, but they still need medical monitoring. Our women’s health experts at Obstetricians & Gynecologists, PC, in Hastings and Grand Island, Nebraska, are here to share what you need to know about fibroids and how we treat them.
These noncancerous muscular tumors grow in the uterus. Some fibroids are so small that they’re undetectable, while others are so large that they change the shape of your waist. Fibroids may grow as a single tumor, or you may have multiple growths.
You can have fibroids and not know it, especially if they’re small. But larger tumors may cause uncomfortable symptoms such as:
Anyone with a uterus can develop fibroids. However, you’re at greater risk of having fibroids if they run in your family, you’re overweight, or you’re of African American descent.
Fibroids may go away on their own. Researchers theorize that hormones play a role in the development of gynecological tumors.
The hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy may trigger the growth of fibroids. These fibroids may resolve naturally after childbirth. Fibroids also tend to shrink after menopause, when estrogen levels drop.
However, not all uterine fibroids resolve by themselves. They grow and shrink on their own schedule and may even come back after going away.
Fibroid management depends a lot on your symptoms. If you have no problems with your fibroid, then we may only monitor its growth.
If fibroids cause you pain, abnormal bleeding, or any other discomfort, we may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), regular exercise, healthy eating, or hormonal birth control.
We may also try gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), an injection that helps shrink the fibroid. If your fibroids continue to cause problems after medical interventions, we may recommend a procedure to remove the tumors (myomectomy).
However, surgical removal doesn’t stop fibroids from growing back. A hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus) is the only cure for uterine fibroids. But we only move ahead with a hysterectomy if your fibroids affect your quality of life and you have no future pregnancy plans.
Fibroids are common and treatable. Though they may go away on their own, they do benefit from medical monitoring and management.
Call Obstetricians & Gynecologists, PC, today or request an appointment online to schedule a consultation with one of our women’s health experts to talk more about your fibroids and get a personalized treatment plan.
