Are There Different Types Of Fibroids?
Yes, there are different types of Uterine Fibroids. The type of fibroids you may have depends on their placement within your uterine walls. Fibroids are classified in four different groups: Pedunculated, Subserosal, Intramural and Submucosal.
What are Pedunculated Fibroids?
Pedunculated fibroids grow on a long stalk-like structure that comes out from the tissue. Symptoms associated with pedunculated fibroids includes pain and pressure as the fibroids often twist on their stalk.
What are Subserosal Fibroids?
Subserosal Fibroids, the most common type of fibroids, are located near the outer layer of the uterus. They are usually small and don’t exhibit significant symptoms. However, women who suffer from this type of fibroid usually have increased urinary frequency, severe bloating and constipation. Often, subserosal fibroids do not require treatment and can be monitored with regular physical exams. Since they grow outside the uterus, they don’t cause many issues with the reproductive system.
What are Intramural Fibroids?
Intramural fibroids grow within the muscular wall of the uterus, beneath the endometrium. These are a common type of fibroid. Depending on their size and position, they exhibit all the symptoms of submucous fibroids including, heavy bleeding and extended menstruation, bleeding between a menstrual cycle, back pain, frequent urination and often infertility.
What are Submucosal Fibroids?
These fibroids are rare and often the most problematic. They grow under the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grow within the inner layer of the uterus and bulge into the uterine space. Submucous fibroids are very symptomatic, which means women experience heavy, irregular, and prolonged bleeding.
These fibroids are often the cause of infertility and because they affect the uterus and the fallopian tubes, making pregnancy difficult. They can also grow on stalks, which means they can extend out of the endometrium into the uterus – which may cause miscarriages.
Treatment of these types of fibroids should be done as early as possible through non-invasive methods such as Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE).
What kind of fibroids do I have?
You may have one of the fibroids listed above or a combination. To find out your treatment options and to seek relief from your symptoms through UFE, contact Dr. Neel Patel at The Atlanta Fibroid Clinic. You can be symptom-free with UFE.
