Myoma of the uterus - what is it? Symptoms and Treatment

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Myoma of the uterus is a gynecological disease, which is characterized by the appearance of benign neoplasms in the uterine muscle layer.

The sizes of fibroids can be various: from small, with a pea and to huge, when the uterine myoma reaches a weight of 3 kg and corresponds to the volume of full term pregnancy. And, it can be one neoplasm or several tumors, small in size, the so-called multiple uterine fibroids.

According to the incidence rate, this disease continues to occupy a leading position among all gynecological pathologies. According to statistical data, similar tumors during life are found in more than 28% of women. Among women, women over the age of 30 predominate.

In this article we will consider what is uterine fibroids, what signs precede this disease, and what symptoms should be paid attention when the myoma has already formed. Do not ignore the methods of treatment of uterine fibroids, including tell about treatment without surgery. Reviews of women with this problem can be read in the comments.

Reasons for

Why does myoma develop, and what is it? Myoma of the uterus is a benign tumor that develops from the muscular tissue of the uterus. In medicine, this disease is also called fibromyoma, leiomyoma.

As a benign tumor of myoma has a number of characteristic features of :

• is the most common tumor in women 35-55 years old;
• is capable of regression( decrease in size) and even complete disappearance in the postmenopausal period;
• can keep its size for a long time and does not grow, or grow very quickly;
• may or may not manifest itself in any way and be an accidental finding in an ultrasound examination, or be accompanied by certain symptoms.

The main cause of myoma development is spontaneous division of uterine cells, it can occur as a result of some changes in the body of a woman :

• frequent inflammation,
• abortions,
• operations on the uterus,
• use of the IUD,
• improper intake of hormonal agents,
• other factors.

In other words, almost all deviations concerning the reproductive organs can lead to the subsequent development of the tumor. Sometimes the causes of myoma development are not clear, but, nevertheless, the disease must be treated, otherwise nodal formations may increase in size and cause a number of symptoms.

Classification of

Several species of this tumor are distinguished depending on the type of tissue from which it occurs:

1. Intramural .It is the most common form of myoma. It comes from the middle muscle layer. With this type of disease, the increase in fibroid in size also means an increase in the size of the uterus itself. It is expressed by the following signs: the occurrence of pain, the appearance of a feeling of heaviness and pressure in the pelvic region, often there is a violation of the menstrual cycle.
2. Subsurface .With this type of disease, the tumor develops in the outer muscle layer. It is actually outside the uterus, outside, but it sprouts into the pelvic cavity. With this type of disease, the menstrual cycle is not disturbed, but at a sufficiently large tumor size a woman may experience some discomfort and unpleasant sensations.
3. Submucous or submucosal .This is one of the least common uterine myomas. Such a neoplasm develops under the thin mucous membrane of the inner layer of the uterine wall. That is why submucous myoma gives the most pronounced clinical symptoms. In this case, the myomatous nodes can have a fairly long leg, which allows them to descend into the cervix and even the vaginal cavity. In such situations, clinicians speak of a "nascent" tumor node.

Depending on the size of the myomatous nodes, compared with gestational age, is allocated:

• to myoma small( 5-6 weeks),
• medium( 7-11 weeks),
• large( more than 12 weeks).

Myoma nodes can be arranged in groups, or meet as a single entity. Their size varies depending on the severity of myoma, ranging from a couple of millimeters to dozens of centimeters. Nodes are located in 95% of cases directly in the body of the uterus, less often - in the area where the ligamentous apparatus of the organ or in the cervix of the uterus.

First signs of

In the case of uterine fibroids, the symptoms are as follows:

• painful, profuse and prolonged menstruation;
• yield of large blood clots during menstruation;
• acyclic intermenstrual bleeding and discharge with a trace of blood;
• recurrent pain;
• pressing and pulling sensations in the lower abdomen, as well as a constant weight.

The greater the myoma and the vastness of its distribution, the more intense its manifestations will be.

Symptoms of uterine fibroids

Often, uterine fibroids are an accidental finding during a prophylactic examination in a gynecologist. Many women with uterine myoma do not complain or do not attach importance to the signs of the disease.

In cases where the uterine myoma is still showing, its symptoms may be:

1. Extraordinarily copious monthly( you have to change more than 3 pads in 1 hour);
2. Extraordinarily long monthly( more than 7 days);
3. A drastic change in the nature of menstruation. For example, if already irregular monthly became even more unpredictable;
4. Irregular, sparse, spotting spotting from the vagina during the period between menstruation;
5. Prolonged, traumatic pains in the lower abdomen;
6. Pain during sexual intercourse;
7. Increased abdominal circumference, without significant weight gain;
8. Sensation of pressure in the lower abdomen.

With large sizes of uterine fibroids, the syndrome of compression of neighboring organs will join. In this case, frequent urination or chronic constipation. In the presence of submucous fibroids, difficulties with conception and gestation are developing.

Emerging symptoms are not always fibroids, a similar clinic is observed in other gynecological diseases, namely, genital cancer, endometriosis, etc. In order to accurately establish the disease, you need a timely examination from a specialist.

Hysteromyoma: photo

How does the uterine myoma look like, a photo of benign neoplasms is presented below.

Diagnosis of

It is quite easy to diagnose uterine fibroids. Even at the first gynecological examination, a doctor with 90-100% confidence can make a diagnosis. When palpating an enlarged uterus with one or more dense nodes is determined. Its mobility is not limited.

Additional methods of examination include:

1. ultrasound of pelvic organs .It is carried out with the aid of a vaginal sensor. To improve visualization, the study is performed with a filled bladder. This method is highly informative, allows you to identify the exact size and shape of the tumor;
2. Hysteroscopy .This method is informative for recognition by myomas, the growth of which deforms the cavity. During this procedure, the gynecologist takes a biopsy( piece of tissue) from the uterine cavity for further analysis;
3. Laparoscopy .This method is used only in those cases when a specialist can not distinguish between uterine fibroids and an ovarian tumor.

Diagnostic curettage of the uterine cavity is indicated for all detected uterine myomas in order to establish the pathology of the endometrium and exclude uterine cancer.

Uterine fibroids: treatment without surgery, reviews

In the case of detection of uterine fibroids, treatment depends on many factors: the presence or absence of symptoms, the patient's age, concomitant diseases, the size of education. If the size of the tumor is not large, the symptoms are absent or disturb only slightly, then the doctor can prescribe medication for uterine fibroids, that is, without surgery, as well as periodic examination. This will help to monitor the growth of the tumor and the course of the disease.

Conservative therapy of consists in the appointment of special drugs. Use drugs of different groups:

• gestagens( norkolut, dyufaston, premolute) course for 4-6 months;
• derivatives of androgens( danazol, gestrinone) course for 6-8 months;
• gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists( buserilin, zoladex) for 3-6 months;
• oral hormonal contraceptives( Yarina, Janine, Regulon);
• intrauterine spiral Mirena( contains gestagen-levonorgestrel) for 5 years.

The main directions of for the conservative treatment of uterine fibroids are as follows:

• sanation of sexual infections;
• stimulation, activation of immunity with phytotherapy and other medications;
• correction of nutrition, food intake;
• normalization of metabolism;
• normalization of the psychoemotional state;
• treatment of anemia, normalization of the menstrual cycle, elimination of bleeding.

Also, the treatment of fibroids without surgery includes a special diet, certain immunomodulatory medications, herbal medicine, preparations of gomedic medicine, special physiotherapy procedures.

Surgical intervention

When deciding on the nature of the operation and its scope, the age of the patient, the state of general and reproductive health, and the degree of presumed risk are taken into account. Depending on the objective data obtained, surgical intervention can be conservative, with preservation of the uterus, or radical, with complete removal of the uterus. With regard to young, nulliparous women with uterine myoma, the tactic of conservative surgical treatment is chosen as far as possible to preserve the reproductive function.

There are indications for surgical treatment of :

• for tumor operation more than 12 weeks of gestation;
• submucosal myoma, in which the nodes grow in the direction of the internal throat of the uterus;
• rapid tumor growth despite ongoing conservative treatment;
• presence of other diseases of the female genital area;
• menorrhagia and metrorrhagia( acyclic uterine bleeding), leading to anemia;
• miscarriage and infertility.

How to treat? Based on the type, size and location of the tumor, the physician decides which operation to remove the fibroid:

1. Laparoscopy - is performed through small holes on the abdomen;
2. Hysteroscopy - through the vagina with a special tool work with the uterus;
3. Cavity operation - an incision in the lower abdomen opens access to the myoma( an extremely rare operation);
4. Hysterectomy - complete removal of the uterus, is given to patients without the hope of stopping fibroid growth with the help of gentle operations.

Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy are the most popular operations because they have a number of advantages: the almost complete absence of traces from surgery, the preservation of the ability of a woman to give birth in the future, a very rapid recovery from surgery.

Embolization of uterine arteries

A modern method of treating uterine fibroids, the principle of which is to stop the flow of blood through the uterine arteries, and the replacement of myoma nodes with a connective tissue.

The method consists of conducting a catheter through the femoral artery into the uterine artery and blocking the blood flow in it with the help of an embolization material. The procedure is performed in X-ray surgery, refers to minimally invasive interventions and does not require anesthesia. As a rule, hospitalization is necessary for one day.

Some doctors claim that after such an operation a woman can conceive and take out a healthy child, others think that this can be problematic, everything is very individual and depends on the type of myoma, its size, successful operation.

Folk remedies

Very many women are looking for any effective folk remedies for the treatment of uterine fibroids. Practically all methods of treatment at home are reduced to the introduction of tampons and douching with herbal medicinal solutions.

However, there is no effective folk remedy to change the deep internal causes of fibroids. In any case, before trying any folk methods for treating fibroids, you should definitely tell your doctor and discuss this method.

Prevention of

There are no special measures for preventing uterine fibroids. However, with suspicions of uterine fibroids, the most important thing is timely diagnostics and timely treatment. Thus, the only prevention is periodic examinations at the gynecologist at least 1-2 times a year

Forecast

With the timely detection and the correct treatment of uterine fibroids, a further prognosis is favorable. After organ-saving operations in women in the reproductive period is likely the onset of pregnancy.

However, the rapid growth of uterine fibroids may require a radical operation with the exception of childbearing function even in young women. Sometimes even a small uterine myoma can cause infertility.