Symptoms of uterine fibroids: how to recognize - detailed information

Myoma is a benign formation that is diagnosed primarily in reproductive age. The most common cause of pathology gynecologists consider hormonal problems. It is noted that the tumor is actively growing, if the body has increased the level of estrogen and progesterone, so the periods of hormonal bursts( pregnancy, ovulation, oral contraceptives) are considered most favorable for accurate diagnosis.

Despite the benign character, fibroids can cause a lot of trouble, including uterine bleeding and complications during the bearing of a child, so treatment should be treated with responsibility. If a woman does not miss scheduled preventive examinations at a gynecologist, the likelihood of timely detection of a tumor is very high. The remaining women need to know the symptomology of the pathology, in time to see a doctor and avoid serious consequences.

What is myoma?

Myoma is a circular formation that appears in the muscular layer of the uterus body. The surface of the nodule is covered with a dense network of blood vessels, so frequent and abundant bleeding becomes the main feature of myoma. The size of tumors is often small, but sometimes there are fairly large myomatous nodes. About any health in this education is not a question, so it is important to be able to recognize pathology at an early stage.

Symptoms and clinical manifestations of the disease are affected by many factors, one of which is the type of tumor and its localization.

Types of myomas

The number of formations can be single or multiple. Multiple myomatous nodes represent a greater danger to the health of women, as they increase the likelihood of bleeding. In addition, they are more difficult to determine, so doctors give the most favorable prognosis for single sites.

Fibroids can be classified by type of location. It is very important to correctly determine the shape and type of the node, as this directly affects the treatment given to the patient.

Type of fibroid	Localization
Submucous	Internal layers of endometrium
Subserial	Space under the outer layer of the uterus( abdominal zone)
Interstitial	The most common type of formation. It is defined between the muscular fibers of the uterus body, its bottom
Interconnected	The subperitoneal space
The hedgehog	The cervix, the cervical canal

The causes of myoma

The main reason for the growth of myomatous nodes doctors believe hormonal problems, but this is not the only factor that can trigger the onset of the pathological process. The appearance of benign uterine tumors can be caused by the following reasons:

• regular weight lifting;
• gynecological diseases;
• is a sexually transmitted infection;
• is a chronic stressful condition;
• trauma to the uterus or cervix during scraping, abortion and other medical procedures;
• complicated delivery.

Important! Women who have at least one adverse factor should undergo a preventive examination at the gynecologist( with the necessary tests) at least once a year. The prevalence of uterine myomas increases every year, so inattention to the health of the female reproductive system is unacceptable( regardless of the patient's age).

Myoma nodes in the early stages are asymptomatic, therefore only the specialist can recognize the pathology at the initial stages. Sometimes additional diagnostic measures may be required, as some forms are difficult to detect even on ultrasound examination.

Who is at risk?

Oncologists and gynecologists distinguish several categories of patients who have a higher risk of developing fibroids than others. These include women who:

• have abortions, miscarriages and frozen pregnancies in the anamnesis;
• started sexual activity early( before 18 years);
• have female relatives, who also have myoma nodes diagnosed;
• does not comply with the rules of contraception and do not pay close attention to the choice of a sexual partner( this can also include a frequent change of partners for intimacy).

Some doctors supplement this list with patients with a history of 3 or more births, especially if an interval of 2 years has not been maintained between them, and the uterus has not fully recovered.

These categories of women need to listen sensitively to their body and when the first symptoms of fibroids appear, consult a doctor.

Early signs of

Since myoma is entangled in a large number of vessels, the main symptom is the occurrence of intermenstrual bleeding. In some cases, they can be so abundant that they begin to threaten the life and health of a woman. Stop such bleeding is possible only with the help of diagnostic curettage, during which the entire endometrium is removed from the uterus, and the material is sent for histological examination to identify the exact cause.

Girls between the ages of 14 and 25 may experience problems with the menstrual cycle: it becomes irregular, blood volume increases during menstruation, and pathological soreness appears. Not everyone is paying attention to these symptoms. Statistics show that only 7% of women turn to a doctor for menstrual irregularities or menorrhagia( long and profuse menstrual periods), considering them to be normal and sinning for stress, fatigue or malnutrition.

Important! It is the problems with menstruation that are the first symptom of the possible growth of myomatous nodes, therefore, when intermenstrual bleeding occurs, prolonged monthly( more than 7 days) and copious blood allocation( if the sanitary napkin is filled in 1-1.5 hours), you need to contact a gynecologist.

Iron deficiency anemia

A large loss of blood in the absence of corrective therapy is almost always accompanied by iron deficiency and the development of iron deficiency anemia. A woman experiences constant weakness, drowsiness, reluctance to engage in routine activities. Without a cause, headaches, dizziness and even fainting may occur. Skin pale, local loss of skin temperature can be noted. If these symptoms persist for a long time, you need to take a blood test. With reduced hemoglobin( for an adult human norm of 120-140 g / l) it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination, including examination of the gynecologist.

Back pain

Pain syndrome occurs only if the tumor is actively growing and begins to squeeze the adjacent organs. Pain sensations are usually noisy, and their intensity directly depends on the size of the formation and its localization. Pain can occur not only in the lower back, but also in the abdomen, the coccygeal zone, the sacrum and even irradiate into the gluteus muscle.

If there is a slowing of the blood supply to the areas on which the myoma is located, the woman feels a sharp pain in the abdomen. Most often, such pains quickly pass and have a weak intensity( except for cases of huge myomas, whose weight reaches 2-3 kg).

Periodic temperature rise

A special kind of nodules are the formations on the stem. They can be twisted and torn, provoking the onset of the inflammatory process, which is accompanied by a rise in temperature( sometimes up to 38.5-39 degrees).

Important! A constant increase in temperature to subfebrile values ​​may indicate the development of a malignant process, so this symptom requires a thorough and extensive study. Ignoring the sign can result in growth of inoperable tumors and death.

Difficulty with urinating

If the myoma reaches a large size, it begins to squeeze the organs that are near. Pressure on the walls of the bladder can provoke an increase in urge to urinate, with the urinary excretion either does not happen at all, or its amount is very small. Frequent desire to empty the bladder should become an alarming sign, especially if the woman is not sick and does not expect the baby.

Sometimes urination can be accompanied by unpleasant pulling sensations and pain - this is due to the pressure of the tumor on the nerve endings of the urogenital system.

Other symptoms of

Women of all ages need to remember that myoma is an insidious type of tumor that is prone to progression and growth without distinctive signs and symptoms. Therefore even small "disturbing bells" should cause alarm and become an excuse for an unscheduled visit to a female doctor. The appearance of myomatous nodes may be accompanied by the following auxiliary symptoms, which can not be ignored:

• pains during intimacy( even if they pass after a change of posture);
• constipation, painful defecation;
• digestive disorders;
• general weakness and drowsiness;
• increased abdominal volume.

All these signs are not characteristic for uterine tumors and may indicate other diseases, but it is necessary to find out their cause, since they are not considered normal for a healthy organism.

Important! Sometimes, because of the presence of multiple myomatous nodules, a woman experiences difficulty in conceiving. If the couple has an active sexual life without using contraceptive methods, and pregnancy does not occur within 1 year, you should consult a doctor.

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Symptoms and signs on ultrasound

It often happens that a woman learns about the myomium accidentally during the passage of ultrasound diagnosis on another occasion. Not always an ultrasound is a reliable and accurate method of determining the formations, but certain signs should alert the specialist. These include:

• mismatch of the size of the uterus to the size of a healthy organ( if a woman is pregnant, a discrepancy is determined in comparison with the size of the uterus for a specific gestational age);
• increased focal echogenicity( several such zones indicate multiple nodal formations);
• deposition of calcium salts in the area of ​​the myoma.

If a doctor has any doubts or suspicions about the possible presence of a malignant process during ultrasound, the woman will be referred to ancillary research, for example:

• MRI;
• hysteroscopic examination;
• sounding;
• biopsy.

After the diagnosis is clarified, a woman is prescribed individual therapy according to the type of fibroid detected, the age of the patient and the presence of complications and concomitant diagnoses.

If a fibroid is found

Treatment of uterine formations is prescribed by a doctor - gynecologist, oncologist or surgeon. Regardless of what therapy is chosen for the patient, she must follow certain rules and recommendations that will help to curb the growth of the tumor and monitor the course of treatment. Doctors advise women with any forms of fibroid:

• to increase the consumption of fruits, berries, greens, vegetables, as well as fish and seafood;
• walk more often( this helps improve blood flow);
• not to lift heavy objects( heavier than own weight);
• abandon sports in which the load is directed to the abdominal muscles( you can go in for free-style swimming and yoga);
• 4 times a year undergo restorative treatment with vitamins( the complex should be selected together with a doctor).

Specialists recommend the exclusion of fatty foods from the diet, especially containing carcinogens and trans fats. Such products can influence the course of the disease and promote the growth of malignant cells.

Myoma of the uterus is a common pathology among women of productive age. With timely treatment for help, the tumor can be cured without the use of surgical methods. In some cases, it can dissolve itself under the influence of certain hormones( for example, during pregnancy).Detection of any symptoms of pathology, especially among women at risk, should be an occasion for immediate treatment in the hospital. Sometimes, not only the patient's health, but also her life depends on the early start of treatment.

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