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Uterine Fibroids: Conventional Treatment
You obviously can't seek medical treatment for a problem you don't even know exists. But, if you
display
certain symptoms, you should consult your personal health care practitioner.
Symptoms
that may be indicative of the existence of fibroids include pelvic pain that
just won't leave, heavy or painful periods, as well as spotting or bleeding
between periods. If you have
trouble emptying your bladder or if you're constipated, you may have
fibroids. Also pain during sex
may indicate the presence of fibroids in or around your uterus.
Don't
hesitate to seek medical treatment if you have severe vaginal bleeding or if
you experience sharp pelvic pain that starts suddenly.
Most
women discover they have fibroids as the results of another, sometimes
unrelated exam. But there are
methods available to definitely determine their presence.
The first is through the ultrasound.
Your health care practitioner may obtain one to confirm the presence
of these growths and detect their location and size. An ultrasound is a painless method that basically uses sound
waves to attain a picture of your uterus.
If
the ultrasound fails to produce enough information, your health care
practitioner may request other imaging exams.
He may order a hysterosonography.
Much like an ultrasound, this method uses sterile saline to expand
the cavity of the uterus. This
makes it easier to get images of the interior of the organ.
You health care practitioner may take this approach if your symptoms
include heavy menstrual bleeding.
Another
method of detecting the presence of fibroids is with the
hysterosalpingography. This
technique makes use of a dye which highlights the cavity of the uterus and
the fallopian tubes. X-rays are
then taken. This approach could
be used if you're concerned about the growth affecting your fertility.
A
third, alternate technique for detecting the presence of fibroids is with a
hysteroscopy. With this method
your health care practitioner inserts a small, lit telescope � called a
hysteroscope � through your cervix and into your uterus.
This tube, then releases either a gas or a liquid that expands your
uterus. This allows your health
care practitioner to better examine the walls of your uterus as well as your
fallopian tubes. This procedure
can easily be done in the office of your health care practitioner.
If
one of your symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, then your health care
practitioner may decide to conduct several other tests to investigate other
potential causes of the bleeding.
Note: Some statements in this article may not be
approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and
should not be taken as professional medical advice.
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Copyright 2008
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