Lead a Pain-Free Life by Getting Your Uterine Fibroids Treated by an OB/GYN in VA

Uterine fibroids are very common benign tumors that can affect women of childbearing age. Pain and bleeding are the most common symptoms that can signal fibroids in the uterus while some women only get to know about the fibroids during routine scans.

Treatment is required only when the fibroid is symptomatic. If you live in Haymarket, Manassas, or Fairfax, VA, you can connect with Dr. David Afram at Capital Women’s Care which is a very reliable OB/GYN practice in the region. Fibroid excision and symptomatic treatment are the lines of treatments that are recommended by the experienced doctors in this clinic. They prefer using non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures for treating different types of fibroids.

What Causes Fibroids in Some Women?

Fibroids are generally muscular in origin and can be pedunculated. It can grow on the outer surface of the uterus (subserosal fibroids), inside the uterus on its muscular wall (intramural fibroids), or anywhere else in the uterine space (submucosal fibroids).

High levels of estrogen are often related to the growth of fibroids and when the level of this hormone goes down after menopause, the fibroids usually shrink. The other factors that can contribute to the growth of fibroids include:

• Use of medications that affect the release of GnRH.
• It can have a genetic linkage.
• Excessive intake of caffeine, alcohol, and even red meat can increase your risk of developing fibroids.
• Obese and overweight women have a higher chance of fibroid growth.

Symptoms and Treatment of Fibroids

The wait approach is followed in most clinics in VA for the treatment of fibroids unless it is causing symptoms that are uncomfortable and affect the quality of a woman’s life. Some of the symptoms that need to be addressed are:

• Heavy bleeding during periods often leads to anemia.
• The periods are associated with severe cramping and back pain.
• Some women often get mild bleeding or spotting in between their periods.
• Apart from heavy bleeding, the bleeding can last longer, usually a week.
• Frequent urination.
• Constipation.
• Painful intercourse.
• In the lower abdomen, a woman can feel discomfort all the time.
• In childbearing age, fibroids can increase the risk of miscarriages, premature delivery, and increasing the need for cesarean delivery.

Fibroids can also cause infertility in some women especially if the growth is large. If your fibroids are causing these symptoms, check with your gynecologist in VA to get the following treatments:

• Medication to regulate the menstrual cycle and shrink fibroid.
• Use of high-energy ultrasound waves in an MRI-guided treatment to destroy the fibroids.
• NSAIDs are prescribed for pain management.
• Several fibroids do not respond to conservative treatment and need minimally invasive surgeries like hysterectomy, endometrial ablation, or embolization.

Talk to your gynecologist to check which treatment method is right for you and can help you to lead a pain-free life.