Understanding Fibroids Symptoms

Muscular tumors that form and grow in the wall of the womb or uterus are called Fibroids. They are sometimes referred to as leiomyoma or myoma too. The majority of cases are not cancerous and often women do not even know they have them. You can have just one or you can have several, and they vary in size too. There are some women that show certain fibroids symptoms so here is a closer look at who is more at risk and what those symptoms might be.

Understanding who is more at risk

While the exact average is not known, fibroids are a fairly common health issue but especially for women between the age of 40 and into the mid-50s. Factors that make you more likely to develop them are;

1. Age is a factor. They are less common in women in their 20s, increase in chance in women in their 30s and then become more likely in the 40s and to mid-50s. After menopause, they are not likely and existing fibroids shrink.

2. Another factor is genetics. If women in your family have a history of developing fibroids then you will too. In fact, you are three times more likely.

3. Diet has an impact in a couple of ways. Obese women are more likely to develop fibroids, again two to three times more likely. But also if you eat a diet high in red meat with not enough green vegetables, that is linked to women having a higher risk of developing them.

4. Ethnicity. African-American women are more prone than white women.

Not all women with fibroids have symptoms

Fibroids are often not anything to worry about and a lot of women have them and do not even know it because they experience no symptoms and of course cannot see them! For women who do have fibroids symptoms, sometimes they are mild and something they live with, but they can also vary to the extreme where women have to seek medical diagnosis and treatment options. Symptoms include;

• * Very heavy periods where the bleeding is such that it causes a great deal of pain and might even lead to women suffering from anemia

• * If the fibroids are placing pressure on their bladder then they might also experience symptoms like needing to pee frequently, a feeling of rectal pressure

• * A fullness feeling in the lower stomach or pelvic area it might also cause enlargement in the lower stomach too

• * There can be lower back pain problems

• * Sex can become painful

• * It can cause problems if you are trying to have a baby and if you are pregnant it can cause complications with labor and during a pregnancy

Causes of fibroids

Fibroid symptoms are well known but the cause of fibroids is not as clear. It is thought hormones play a role and it is known genetics is a factor but there is no one clear cause. It is also not clear why they grow, or why they shrink apart from the fact that hormones are a factor. There are a lot of options now when it comes to treatment so be sure to talk to your doctor and talk about what those are.