Fibroids are common, affecting 40 to 80% of women during their childbearing years. In many cases, fibroids go unnoticed. However, they may cause pain, heavy bleeding, or infertility. At Women's Health Domain in Austin, Texas, the highly skilled doctors specialize in diagnosing and treating fibroids. Schedule an appointment at the office adjacent to the Domain in North Austin by calling or booking online today.
Fibroids, or uterine fibroids, are benign, muscular tumors that grow in the uterus. They’re very common and may grow as a single tumor or a cluster of tumors. Fibroids also vary in size. You can have a fibroid as small as a strawberry seed or as large as a cantaloupe.
Fibroids may grow in any part of your uterus. Where and how they grow determines their type, which includes:
Fibroids that grow inside the uterus, or womb, are called submucosal fibroids.
Intramural fibroids grow in the wall of your uterus.
Subserosal fibroids grow on the outside of your uterus.
Pedunculated fibroids grow outside the uterus on a stalk-like structure that extends outward. These types of fibroids look like mushrooms.
Fibroid symptoms vary and may depend on the size, type, and number of tumors. If you have a small fibroid, you may not have any symptoms.
Common fibroid symptoms include:
If you have any of these symptoms, schedule a consultation at Women's Health Domain. Though fibroids are benign, they can cause symptoms that affect your quality of life. The team provides treatments that can ease your symptoms.
The Women's Health Domain team may first perform a pelvic exam when you come in with symptoms that sound like fibroids. They can feel the fibroids during this exam.
To diagnose uterine fibroids, the team may perform an imaging test such as an ultrasound or MRI. These imaging tests determine the size, location, and size of your fibroid.
Women's Health Domain is a full-service obstetrics and gynecology practice and offers many treatment options for fibroids. Treatments for fibroids depend on the size, location, number, and symptoms and might include:
The team may also perform surgery to remove the fibroids, such as a myomectomy, which involves removing only the fibroid and not any of your uterus. For women without future pregnancy plans, the team may suggest a hysterectomy.
To find out more about treatment options for fibroids, call Women's Health Domain or schedule an appointment online today.