If you have fibroids, quality medical care and treatments can prevent damage to your uterus. At the Jersey Women’s Care Center in Fair Lawn and Jersey City, New Jersey, Dr. Elizabeth Ramirez and Dr. Huiying Hou are highly skilled in female reproductive health care and treating a range of gynecological disorders. The compassionate providers know that fibroids can lead to a number of complications. Lower your risks and take care of your reproductive organs with the help of Jersey Women’s Care Center. Call or click to book your appointment.
Uterine fibroids are growths that appear in the uterus. These noncancerous growths can vary in size from small to large and usually appear during childbearing years. If fibroids grow large, they can change the shape of and cause damage to the uterus.
More severe fibroids can lead to the expansion of the uterus to the point where it reaches your rib cage.
Some women have multiple fibroids while other women may only get one. Some fibroids may not come along with any symptoms and can go unnoticed without the all-important well-woman exam.
Your doctor might discover fibroids during your well-woman pelvic exam, even if you haven’t had any symptoms or concerns.
Common symptoms of fibroids include:
The symptoms usually depend on the location, number, and size of your fibroids.
The cause of fibroids isn’t definitive. Certain factors might influence the development of fibroids.
Experts believe progesterone and estrogen promote the growth of fibroids.
Some fibroids have been linked to certain abnormal cells and changes in the genes that make the fibroid cells different from normal uterine muscle cells.
Certain growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF), have been linked to high insulin levels and may impact or worsen fibroid growth.
The Jersey Women’s Care providers diagnose fibroids through a number of testing methods, such as an MRI, a pelvic ultrasound, or a hysteroscopy. Once your provider has reached a diagnosis, you receive a customized treatment plan.
Jersey Women’s Care Center offers various ways to treat fibroids, including medications, surgery, and lifestyle changes:
Some fibroids don’t grow at all and others grow slowly. If your fibroids aren’t causing any symptoms or are only mildly annoying, your Jersey Women’s provider may decide to monitor your condition and recommend certain lifestyle changes, such as nutrition.
Your provider might prescribe medications aimed at regulating your menstrual cycle and hormones. Some medications can also treat heavy bleeding, pelvic pressure, and other symptoms you might be experiencing. Non-hormonal anti-inflammatory medicines can be effective in relieving pain.
For more severe cases, your provider might recommend surgery. She might prescribe a special medication that can only be used short-term to shrink your fibroids before your surgery. If you’re sure you’ve finished having children, a hysterectomy might be a good solution.
Your Jersey Women’s Care provider can help you determine the right course of treatment to get you feeling better.
If you have symptoms or believe you might have fibroids, don’t just live with it: Call the friendly and experienced specialists at the Jersey Women’s Care Center or click to book online.