Uterine fibroids is a chronic disease of the female reproductive system, which is prone to recurrence. It is characterized by the formation of nodes in the muscle layer of the reproductive organ. At the initial stage, no symptoms of fibroids are observed, so most patients do not even know about their diagnosis. Today, the disease is determined in 75-80% of women after 30-35 years, and the latent course leads to the fact that fibroids are detected during a routine examination or physical examination. When faced with a diagnosis for the first time, women are lost because of the fear of surgery, but in fact, surgery is indicated only for serious complications or in the later stages. In most cases, lifestyle modification and conservative therapy are sufficient.
Characteristics of the disease
Doctors say that 80% of women over 30-35 years of age have neoplasms in the uterus. Myoma is a non-cancerous tumor, therefore, in most cases,conservative methods of treatment (that is, you can do without surgery) and regular monitoring. The nodes are usually small in size, consist of muscle tissue. If the neoplasm is of impressive size, it compresses neighboring organs, causing pain, discomfort and menstrual irregularities.
The initial impetus for the development of fibroids is usually a hormonal failure. The causes of neoplasms can be inflammation (acute or chronic) in the genital area, damage to the uterus during surgical interventions, frequent abortions, a sedentary lifestyle and poor environmental conditions. Regardless of the reasons for the formation of the fibroid node has a tendency to grow, so a woman with such a disease should be aware of what can provoke an increase in the size of fibroids.
Clinical picture
In the early stages, uterine fibroids do not manifest themselves in most cases. Typically, patients complain of heavy and painful periods, bleeding between periods, which lead to a decrease in hemoglobin. Most feel pulling pains of varying intensity in the lower abdomen, which intensify during critical days. Often, with the growth of fibroids, the functions of neighboring organs are disrupted. This can be manifested by a delay in stool or urination, a feeling of pressure on the bladder.
Fibroids are diagnosed during a gynecological examination, and the location and size of the tumor can be determinedby ultrasound results. This diagnostic method allows you to detect fibroids when the size of the neoplasm does not exceed one centimeter in diameter. If necessary, an MRI of the pelvic organs is performed (it is considered a more informative method), hysteroscopy, hysterosalpingography. Treatment can be conservative (if the size of the fibroid corresponds to 12 weeks of pregnancy) or surgical.
Lifestyle for fibroids
What is wrong with uterine fibroids? We are not talking about significant changes in everyday life, but it is also impossible to completely ignore the manifestations of the disease. A woman with a similar diagnosis must adhere to a number of restrictions so as not to provoke the growth of a neoplasm. What can not be done with uterine fibroids? It is forbidden to lift weights weighing more than three kilograms, work on the legs, excessive physical activity is undesirable. You can't overwork. It is worth limiting fluid intake at night. Otherwise, there will be an accumulation of fluid in the tissues. It is better to eat an apple or an orange to quench your thirst.
It is imperative to take contraceptives, but without self-activity. Self-protection is allowed only by barrier means, that is, with the help of condoms. You should try to avoid stressful situations and emotional overstrain, because this provokes changes in the hormonal balance, which accelerates the growth of the neoplasm. What else can not be with uterine fibroids? It is forbidden to have an abortion, because this will provoke a hormonal surge, which will increase the growth of fibroids. It is important to determine the disease in the initial stages, to monitor growthneoplasms, from time to time visiting a doctor and undergoing the necessary examinations.
Contraceptive issues
What is wrong with small uterine fibroids? You can not independently choose and use contraceptives without consulting a doctor. Oral contraceptives do not have a long-term or pronounced effect, do not reduce the size of the neoplasm, but when used, the likelihood of developing a tumor is reduced by 27%. Gynecologists prescribe contraceptives not only as a protection against unwanted pregnancy, but also to prevent myomatosis in young, nulliparous patients. Birth control pills reduce the profusion of menstruation, that is, they are symptomatic remedies.
What can not be done with uterine fibroids? Abortions are not allowed, so contraceptives are also used for their intended purpose, that is, to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The only contraceptive you can safely use without consulting a doctor is condoms.
Pregnancy with uterine fibroids
Difficulties in conceiving a child due to this disease are explained by various factors. This can be triggered by compression of the fallopian tubes, a violation of ovulation. Myoma itself is not a cause of infertility, and removal significantly increases the likelihood of successful fertilization. This applies to fibroids that are less than twelve weeks pregnant. If the fibroid is large, then it is quite difficult to maintain reproductive function after removal of the neoplasm, because the operation may be complicated by bleeding, whichwill require removal of the uterus.
The effect of pregnancy on fibroids largely depends on the area in which the neoplasm is located. It is generally accepted that fibroids grow during the period of bearing a child, but there is an opinion that this is an imaginary growth associated with an increase in the uterus as a whole. A slight increase in fibroids in size is usually observed in the first and second trimesters, and in the third, almost all tumors decrease.
Most often during pregnancy, fibroid degeneration is observed, that is, destruction. This is due to negative processes: tissue necrosis, the formation of cysts and edema. This can happen at any time or in the postpartum period - it all depends on the location of the neoplasm. The reasons for this process are not yet fully understood. Both hormonal and mechanical and vascular changes that occur with the female body during pregnancy are important.
Intimacy
What is wrong with large uterine fibroids? Intimacy is not contraindicated in such a diagnosis. The widespread assertion that during sexual intercourse blood rushes to the pelvic organs, which provokes the growth of a neoplasm, is a myth. If a woman has a tumor, then she may experience discomfort during sexual intercourse, but this is not a specific symptom. Usually this does not indicate fibroids at all, but another disease.
Physical activity
With myoma, moderate physical activity is not contraindicated, but even useful. But under certainconditions are limited. For example, you should stop playing sports if you have recently had surgery, large knots compress the internal organs, causing pain, or if fibroids lead to anemia and painful periods.
What exercises can not be done with uterine fibroids? Undesirable impact on the press. The optimal sports are those based on cardio: skiing, swimming, brisk walking, exercise equipment, cycling.
For those who have never played sports, you can start with physiotherapy exercises. It is better to choose a qualified specialist who has already worked with patients who have the same diagnosis. The specialist knows exactly which exercises cannot be performed with uterine fibroids, and which ones are acceptable. Usually, physical therapy and yoga have a positive effect on the dynamics of the disease.
Sauna and hot tub
What is wrong with small uterine fibroids? It used to be that with such a diagnosis, you need to forget about the bath, sauna and hot baths. Today, in the absence of concomitant diseases of the cardiovascular system, you can take a hot bath without restrictions, go to the bathhouse and sauna. During menstruation (especially if they are plentiful), it is better to refuse this.
Physiotherapy
What procedures can not be done with uterine fibroids? For most physiotherapy, fibroids are not a contraindication, but physiotherapy is ineffective against the nodes themselves.
Sunburn and solarium
WhyWith uterine fibroids, you can not go to the solarium? It is better to refuse to visit the solarium, because exposure to ultraviolet radiation can provoke the growth of nodes. If a woman still decides on an artificial tan, you need to follow a few rules: treat the skin with a protective cream before the procedure, choose the minimum exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and do not stay in the booth for more than three minutes. In addition, the cabin must be ventilated to reduce the heat effect.
Sunbathing is also extremely undesirable. Why can not sunbathe with uterine fibroids? Because sunbathing has a thermal effect. For the same reason, it is better to avoid all warm-up procedures. A full tan with fibroids is possible only after the onset of menopause, because during this period the production of hormones decreases, and the tumor stops growing.
Sunbathing with fibroids is possible in moderation (it is almost impossible to completely eliminate exposure to the sun). It is better to go to the beach in the morning or evening hours and monitor the temperature. It is desirable that the air temperature does not exceed 25 degrees. Don't stay in the sun for too long. Preferably no more than 30 minutes. It is also necessary to go into the shadows with any discomfort in the lower abdomen. Be sure to wear sunscreen.
Massage for uterine fibroids
What procedures should not be attended with uterine fibroids? It is believed that massage is contraindicated, but in fact, restrictions are imposed only on visiting a massage parlor during menstruation.
This, by the way, does not apply toonly women with fibroids, but also quite he althy ones. Prohibited intensive massage in the buttocks, abdomen and thighs, lymphatic drainage, acupuncture, cavitation - exposure to problem areas with ultrasonic waves. This can significantly increase blood circulation in the internal organs, which is contraindicated in uterine fibroids.
Alcohol and smoking
What is wrong with uterine fibroids? You should quit smoking in any case (even for patients who do not have uterine fibroids), and it is better to drink alcohol only in the recommended moderate amounts. The absence of bad habits in any case will benefit the body.
Nutrition Correction
What foods can not be eaten with uterine fibroids? It is necessary to limit the use of animal fats (replace with vegetable ones), exclude confectionery, muffins and fast food. It is advisable to enrich the diet with fresh vegetables and fruits, eat small meals 5-6 times a day, include foods that help eliminate toxins in the menu, be about 2 liters of water per day, eat fish or seafood at least three times a week. Black tea and coffee should be replaced with green and herbal teas.
Drugs
What antibiotics are not allowed for uterine fibroids, the attending physician knows and will tell. In general, with such a diagnosis, the use of any medications without the appointment of a gynecologist is prohibited. Depending on the course of the disease, hormonal correction with medications may be recommended, but you cannot make any decisions on this issue on your own.
Expectant tactics
There is an opinion that fibroids must be treated, and if not by surgery, then at least by constant pills. In fact, uterine fibroids in a woman who is not planning a pregnancy in the near future does not require treatment. Not all neoplasms actively grow during the reproductive period. Some of them can grow to a certain size and then stop growing. If the nodes do not deform the area of the uterus, and there are no manifestations of fibroids, that is, the disease does not affect the quality of life, then treatment is not required. Enough observation in dynamics.
However, the patient may not notice specific complaints because she is accustomed to unpleasant symptoms. These include heavy menstruation, a feeling of pressure on the bladder, an increase in the abdomen. In this case, you need to undergo an examination, do an ultrasound scan and evaluate the level of hemoglobin in the blood. A drop in hemoglobin, for example, may indicate an incorrect assessment of the profusion of menstruation, and an increase in the abdomen may be mistaken for weight gain, and not fibroid growth in size. Expectant tactics are used in many cases; this does not pose any threat to the he alth of a woman if the process is controlled by a specialist.
Conservative therapy is indicated for fibroid sizes corresponding to 12 weeks of gestation or less, as well as slow growth rates of the neoplasm. This helps to preserve the uterus in order to be able to have a baby in the future. Usually hormonal preparations are used, symptomatic treatment is indicated (reduction of painand profuse menstruation). The operation is indicated for large neoplasms, rapid growth rates, and severe symptoms of the disease. There are several types of operations. The gynecologist can tell you the best method.
Surgery
Removal of the uterus is not the main treatment for fibroids in women who are not planning a pregnancy. This is not a simple procedure that can have consequences for the patient, including death. In any case, it is very difficult to predict the development of serious complications, so the best operation is the one that was avoided. Any intervention should be performed according to indications and in cases where there is no alternative, and if it is not performed, then there is a threat to the life of the patient or its quality.
Usually, patients with fibroids have their uterus removed without being offered any alternative. At the same time, the consequences of organ removal are well studied today. Such patients are more likely to develop diseases of the cardiovascular system, endocrine disorders, the likelihood of developing malignant tumors, weight problems, depression and other nervous disorders. Thus, removal of the uterus is the last item on the list of possible treatment options, which should be resorted to only as a last resort.
Removal of exclusively myoma nodes is not indicated in all cases. This operation temporarily restores the anatomy of the uterus, allowing a woman to successfully bear and give birth to a he althy child, but the intervention is associated withhigh probability of recurrence (up to 10-15% in the first year). If the patient does not plan pregnancy, then in most cases preference should not be given to the removal of the neoplasm, but to embolization of the uterine arteries. In 96-98% of cases, this eliminates the symptoms, that is, solves the problem of the patient.
Lifestyle after surgery
What can not be done after removal of uterine fibroids? Doctors are allowed to get out of bed after the operation on the second or third day. You can do this by turning over on your side and leaning on your elbow. It is advisable to move more to shorten the recovery period after surgery. After laparoscopy, you can get up the next day. In the first days after the operation, it is recommended to do special exercises that will allow the carbon dioxide that doctors injected into the abdominal cavity during the operation to quickly dissolve.
After removal of uterine fibroids, you can not do hard physical work and lift weights (more than 3 kg). It is important to alternate work and rest, to observe the regime. After removal of uterine fibroids, you can not have sex for another one and a half to two months after the intervention. Avoid nervous strain, constipation, because they cause an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (this can cause suture divergence). It is important to follow a diet that ensures the smooth functioning of the intestines.
While maintaining reproductive function, pregnancy should be planned within the time recommended by the doctor observing the woman. A gynecologist will help you choose contraceptives that you need to take according to the instructions. Useful treatment in sanatoriums, but withit is necessary to give up swimming and some water procedures. When you can start swimming, the gynecologist will tell you. Balneological procedures and radon baths are recommended in sanatoriums.
