The uterus is a very important organ forwomen: life is born in it and children are borne. It is located in the pelvic area and consists of the fundus, body, isthmus and cervix. The health of the uterus determines the condition of the woman's reproductive system. Therefore, a tumor, even a benign one, called uterine myoma in medicine, despite the fact that it is successfully treated, can complicate conception, pregnancy and lead to surgery. What is the risk of developing a tumor and what to do if you are diagnosed with this?
What women are at risk?
It turns out that getting into a risk group is not so easycomplicated. Uterine fibroids are common and, according to clinical studies, account for approximately ¼ of all gynecological diseases. However, there is an opinion that clinical studies do not cover all cases of uterine fibroids, and the real figure is much higher. Women of late reproductive age and before menopause are at the greatest risk. Recently, signs of uterine fibroids have increasingly been noted in women in the 30-33 age group. In women under 30, uterine fibroids appear in an average of 1.0-1.5% of cases. The risk of the disease is high in women who have a family history of fibroids, as well as in those suffering from obesity and cardiovascular diseases. What is this tumor?
Signs of uterine fibroids
This is a benign neoplasm in the form ofround nodes. There may be one node, but more often there are several. Nodes vary in size, weight and growth rate. A node may be the size of a pine nut, or it may grow to the size of a coconut. Growth is uneven: the tumor may be small for a long time and not bother, and then, if there is a provoking factor, it may begin to grow rapidly. Large uterine fibroids can compress neighboring organs, cause pain and are an indication for surgery. Tumor growth can interfere with fertilization of the egg and cause infertility. The site of node formation is either the body of the uterus or the cervix. In the body of the uterus, nodes appear and grow in 95 cases out of 100. Cervical fibroids occur much less often: only in 5 cases out of 100. What does a woman feel if she has a tumor?
Symptoms of uterine fibroids
The disease affects women of different agesthe different course of the disease is characterized by various symptoms. In the early stages and with small nodes, symptoms may be absent altogether. A woman does not feel pain and can find out about the presence of fibroids in the body of the uterus only when visiting a gynecologist and undergoing additional examination. At this stage, it is treated most easily. Symptoms may appear as the disease progresses. Among the most common are the following:
Uterine myoma may have a complication - necrosis of the uterine node. Its symptoms are sharp pain and high temperature. Why is a woman's reproductive health impaired?
Causes of uterine fibroids
It is believed that the main factor that provokesthe onset and development of the disease is an imbalance of hormones - estrogens and progesterone. It is this that leads to heavy and prolonged bleeding during menstruation. The cause of uterine fibroids can also be a woman's history of abortions and curettage. There is an opinion that the cause of women's diseases is a dislike for men. Indeed, if a woman begins to have sex after 28 years of age, does not give birth to a child before this age, or her sex life is irregular, this negatively affects her reproductive health, which cannot be said about women who have a regular sexual partner and have already become mothers by the age of 28. Recently, stress experienced by a woman at work and at home, as well as her dissatisfaction with her personal life, have been named among the reasons leading to the occurrence of a tumor. Of course, it is better to try to improve relations with men than to treat fibroids later. Observations of women diagnosed with uterine fibroids have shown that pregnancy leads to tumor growth. An enlarged node can cause miscarriage and premature birth. Therefore, pregnancy in a woman with fibroids should be under the supervision of doctors. And when planning a pregnancy, it is better to undergo an examination in advance and, if fibroids are detected, treat them before conception. What to do if fibroids are detected?
Treatment of uterine fibroids
Treatment depends on the woman's age, sizetumor nodes, manifestation of symptoms. Uterine fibroids are easier to treat in the early stages of development. If the tumor is small, there is no pain or bleeding, then drugs are prescribed that normalize the hormonal background of the woman's body. They can stop the growth of the tumor, but do not lead to its elimination. The use of drugs is carried out for 3-6 months and can be accompanied by side effects: frequent mood swings, sweating, headaches and a number of others. After treatment, it is necessary to do an ultrasound every six months and monitor the woman's condition, since the risk of fibroid recurrence after treatment remains. If the tumor is large and the signs of the disease are clearly expressed, that is, there is profuse blood loss and rapid growth of nodes, as well as in the case of ineffectiveness of hormonal treatment, surgery is prescribed. Depending on the complexity of the disease, the uterus can be preserved or removed during surgery. In European countries, almost 70% of women who have already passed childbearing age have their uterus removed. In women of childbearing age and who have not yet given birth, they try to preserve the uterus. Recovery after surgery is fairly quick. After the treatment, women have a number of restrictions: tanning in a solarium and under direct sunlight is undesirable, it is better to avoid visiting a sauna and massaging the abdomen and lower back. There are a number of plants and products that have a positive effect on treatment. They do not replace medications, but can create a favorable background for treatment. Plants include oats, wheat, licorice, and products include apples, pomegranate and carrots. Considering that the cause of surgery is an advanced stage of the disease, the main method of its effective treatment can be early detection. Therefore, to preserve her reproductive system, it is important for a woman to regularly visit a doctor and have an ultrasound of the uterus, and if unfavorable symptoms are detected, undergo treatment in a timely manner.