Discover Why People Get Fibroids in Singapore, How to Spot Them, and How to Treat Them
For many women, fibroids are one of the health problems that can make it hard to have children. As a general rule, fibroids don’t put women in danger, but they can make things less fun in a number of ways. What are uterine fibroids? How do they form? How can I check for them? How can I treat them? Let’s discuss what causes fibroids, how to recognize them, how to check for them, and medicine that can reduce their symptoms. This will help us learn more about effectively treating fibroids in Singapore.
Fibroids: A Simple Breakdown
Uterine fibroids are tumors that may arise in the smooth muscle tissue. These growths are benign and do not progress to cancer. They vary in size, and a woman may have more than one growth. This kind of growth can be on the uterus’s surface (subserosal), inside (intramural), or below the lining (submucosal). There aren’t many growths on the cervix either.
Since fibroids typically rarely cause any obvious symptoms, many women are unaware that they have them. When symptoms do appear, though, they can be quite severe and have a big influence on day-to-day activities.
Fibroids: Why They Happen
It’s not clear what causes fibroid tumors, but a lot of things are thought to affect how fast they grow. Hormones like estrogen and progesterone can cause noncancerous growths referred to as uterine fibroids. Elevated estrogen levels, like during pregnancy or other hormonal causes, can cause fibroids to form or grow. During menopause, estrogen levels usually drop a lot, which can cause tumor disappearance.
- Hereditary Traits
It is much more likely for a woman to get fibroids if they run in her family. Fibroids are more likely to happen to some women because of changes in their genes.
- Age and Race
Fibroids can happen to anyone, but women in their 40s and 50s are more likely to get them. Besides that, African American women are more likely than other women to have them.
- Environment and Lifestyle Factors
Fibroids may be more likely to happen to people who has a sedentary lifestyle, have a poor dietary habits, or are overweight. A greater chance has also been linked to having high blood pressure and cholesterol. Fibroid tumors may also grow faster or slower depending on things in the surroundings, such as being close to chemicals that are harmful.
Fibroids: How to Tell if You Have It
A lot of women who have fibroids don’t know they have them. But they might be really bad and hard to handle for some people. What then would fibroids feel like? Picture this:
- Really heavy periods: Like having to change pads or tampons far more frequently than usual and perhaps even noticing significant blood clots. If you ignore this type of excessive bleeding, it can truly drain you and cause extreme tiredness—possibly even anemia.
- Achy or heavy sensation in your lower belly: Fibroids can press on objects down there, resulting in pain or only a general sense of pressure. This could make the lower belly feel full or swollen. Fibroid growths can sometimes hurt the bladder or rectum, which can make going to the bathroom harder or make you have to go more often.
- Abdominal enlargement: If your uterus is swollen, it might look like you are pregnant. This is easier for most women to see when they have a lot of fibroids.
- Being in Pain While Sexually Active: Some lumps near your cervix can hurt or bother you when you’re making love.
- Frequent Urination: Fibroids can build up on top of the bladder and you may have to go to the bathroom a lot.
- Problems With Fertility: If you have fibroids, it might be hard to get pregnant and keep the pregnancy going. If a woman has fibroids, she may miscarry, give birth early, or have problems with her placenta. Still, many women with fibroids can still have healthy children.
Recognizing problems early on helps avoid problems and raises the chances of treatment working.
Fibroids: How To Diagnose
To find out if a person has fibroids, a women’s health specialist must first look at their medical history and check out their body. Here are some other types of screening tests:
- Using ultrasound to scan:
- Ultrasounds of the pelvis give clear pictures of the uterus and the tissues around it.
- A full MRI scan of the uterus:
- MRI can show where, how many, and how big fibroid growths are. MRI stands magnetic resonance imaging.
- The Abortion Test (Saline infusion sonography):
- If you pump saline into the uterus during this imaging method, you can get a better picture of submucosal tumors.
- A vaginal surgery (Hysteroscopy):
- Doctors put a small camera into the uterus through the cervix so they can get a better look at fibroid growth.
- A thin tube (Laparoscopy):
- There is a very small cut in the belly where a laparoscopy is performed. A small camera is then put through the cut to look at the uterus and ovaries.
Fibroids: Treatment and Techniques
Treatment for fibroid depend on a woman’s age, desire to have children, the size and location of the fibroid, and how bad their symptoms are. There are different ways to treat it, including:
- Medications
- Among hormonal treatments, birth control pills, IUDs, and techniques confined to progesterone help reduce heavy periods.
- Released is gonadotropin (GnRH) hormone. Agons: These drugs lower oestrogen levels, so momentarily decreasing tumours.
- NSAIDs, sometimes known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, help with accompanying discomfort and swelling of fibroids.
- Minimally Invasive Treatments
- Uterine artery embolization (UAE) stop fibroids from absorbing blood, hence reducing them.
- In MRI-guided focused ultrasonic surgery (MRgFUS), high-intensity ultrasonic pulses kill fibroid tissue, therefore avoiding open surgery.
- To stop major bleeding, the uterus’s lining is removed in endometrial ablation.
- Surgical Procedures
- Ideal for women hoping to conceive, a myomectomy eliminates fibroids from the uterus alone.
- If fibroids are causing severe pain and other therapies are not working, a hysterectomy—that is, the removal of the uterus—may be the best choice.
Fibroids: Expert’s Advice
When dealing with fibroids, it is very important to get help from a licensed professional. A doctor, especially a gynecologist, can do a full review that includes patient history, physical exam, and imaging studies like pelvic ultrasounds. A women’s health specialist should also look at the patient’s symptoms, medical background, and plans for having children to decide on the best course of treatment. Later, they can talk about the different treatment choices that would work best for you, such as medication, watchful waiting, minimally invasive procedures, or surgery. Making smart choices means knowing the details about your tumor type, size, symptoms, and health goals. Asking questions and getting more information will help you get the best and most specialized care from your doctor.
Fibroids: Final Thoughts
Most of the time, fibroids are harmless, but a lot of women have problems with them. Their conditions could make every day hard for them. If you have pelvic pain, too much bleeding every month, or trouble reproducing, you should see a doctor right away. Getting a diagnosis and treatment early on can help manage symptoms and make life better in general.
Some of the treatments that women with fibroids can get are medicines, slightly invasive procedures, and surgery. It is important to educate yourself on fibroids and discuss treatment options with your doctor so that you may make informed decisions regarding your reproductive health. Whether a woman is seeking a long-term cure or simply wants to manage her symptoms, there are several medical options that can help her maintain her quality of life.
Endofibroid – Centre for Endometriosis and Fibroids – A/Prof Fong Yoke Fai, MBBS, MMed (O&G Singapore), MRCOG (UK), FRANZCOG (Australia/New Zealand), FAMS
Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
38 Irrawady Road
#05-49 Mount Elizabeth Novena
Singapore 329563
Phone +65 6334 1981
Whats App + 65 8048 7994
