Fibroids Specialist

What are fibroids?

Fibroids grow in the uterus and are benign (noncancerous) most of the time. Within these growths are muscle and connective tissue, and they can grow either individually or in clusters on the womb. 

The majority of fibroids are very small, but they can grow as large as a melon in the most severe cases. Since most fibroids start small and symptomless, initial treatment involves monitoring their growth and waiting for the fibroids to either shrink and go away or get bigger. 

Since many fibroids don’t cause symptoms, you might not realize you have one or more of them until you visit Dr. Fan for a routine well-woman exam. He can detect fibroids during a standard pelvic examination and evaluate them further with ultrasound imaging, X-rays, or CT scans. 

What are the symptoms of fibroids?

Most fibroids don’t cause symptoms, at least until they grow very large or if there are many of them. If you experience symptoms from fibroids, the symptoms are similar to those of other gynecological conditions, and you’ll need a diagnostic evaluation to find out for sure if fibroids are the cause. 

Your symptoms might include:

• Abnormal bleeding
• Painful periods
• Enlargement or fullness in the lower abdomen
• Low back pain
• Frequent urination

Left untreated, uterine fibroids can lead to complications during childbirth or even infertility. In the rare cases when fibroids are cancerous, the cancer doesn’t develop in fibroids that were already there. This means you don’t have to worry about existing fibroids becoming cancerous if you don’t treat them. 

How are fibroids treated?

In many cases, fibroids need no treatment at all. Dr. Fan observes the fibroids during your routine visits to see if they’re growing in size or number. Your treatment plan depends on whether your fibroids cause symptoms, if you want to get pregnant in the future, the size of the fibroid or fibroids, and the number you have. 

A few common treatments for fibroids that Dr. Fan might recommend are:

• Iron supplements 
• Hormonal birth control
• Over-the-counter pain medications
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists
• Myomectomy surgery
• Hysteroscopy
• Laparoscopy
• Laparotomy

Some treatments, like over-the-counter pain medications, aim to reduce specific symptoms of uterine fibroids while others fully remove the fibroids, shrink them, or prevent new fibroids from growing. 

Fibroids may or may not need treatment, but you’ll want an evaluation if they cause symptoms. Schedule your appointment by calling the office of Yuan-Da Fan, MD, or booking one online today.