Uterine Fibroids Treatment: What Happens if Fibroids Go Untreated?
glamour.com, don’t panic: There’s an arsenal of uterine fibroids treatment options available. Fibroids, also called leiomyomas or myomas, are one of the most common conditions affecting people with a uterus. (An estimated 75 to 80 percent will be diagnosed with fibroids at some point in their lifetime, according to the , and they are most common in people of African descent.) The growth of these benign tumors is fueled by estrogen and they can live outside the uterus (subserosal fibroids), inside the uterine cavity (submucosal fibroids), or within the wall of the uterus (intramural fibroids).
They may be as small as a grain of sand, while large fibroids can be the size of a softball. They may be completely asymptomatic, or cause a host of disruptive like pelvic pain, frequent urination, constipation, heavy periods, or bleeding between menstrual cycles.
The best treatment for fibroids varies from person to person—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, says , M.D., chief medical officer at Verywell Health and a board-certified OB-GYN and fibroid expert. “The conversation [around treatment] should be complex and inclusive of each individual's journey.
It shouldn't be a template," she says. Instead, you and your healthcare provider should discuss where you are in the process and what outcome you are looking for.
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