Most women will likely develop uterine fibroids before age 50. These fibroids rarely cause any symptoms, but for the symptomatic ones, the symptoms can be disrupting and may lower the quality of your life. The skilled team at South Florida Vascular Associates offers Plantation uterine fibroid embolization, relieving your symptoms and enabling you to resume your daily activities.
What Should You Know About Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids, medically known as leiomyomas, are benign growths that develop in the uterine walls during a woman’s child-bearing years. These growths don’t increase your risk of developing cancer. Fibroids may range in size from tiny seedlings, invisible to the naked eye, to large masses that may increase the size of your uterus.
You can have one or multiple fibroids which can grow to the point of pushing against your rib cage. Most women have fibroids, but they may not know because they rarely cause any symptoms. In most cases, your provider may detect these growths accidentally during a prenatal ultrasound or a pelvic exam.
How Can You Know that You have Uterine Fibroids?
Most women rarely experience any symptoms. However, those who experience the symptoms might be feeling them due to the fibroids’ number, size, and location. These symptoms include heavy menstrual bleeding, difficulty emptying the bladder, frequent urination, leg pains or backaches, and pelvic pain or pressure. If you have persistent pelvic pain, unexplained anemia, bleeding, or spotting between periods and prolonged, heavy periods, inform your doctor immediately for a medical exam.
What does Uterine Fibroid Embolization Involve?
Uterine fibroid embolization is a minimally invasive technique that minimizes the blood supply to your uterus, causing the fibroids to shrink. This treatment offers relief to 90% of women experiencing fibroid symptoms. If the symptoms prevent you from carrying out your daily activities, it may be time for you to consider uterine fibroid embolization. Most women are hesitant to seek treatment for their severe symptoms to avoid major surgeries such as hysterectomy. Uterine fibroid embolization is a safe, outpatient treatment.
What Should You Expect During Uterine Fibroid Embolization?
During your treatment, the South Florida Vascular Associates specialists make a small incision on the skin near your groin. They then insert a catheter into the artery that transports blood to your lower body (femoral artery). Your provider utilizes advanced X-ray imaging to identify the arteries that transport blood to your uterus. The team then injects numerous microscopic plastic particles into the identified arteries to reduce blood flow to the uterine fibroid.
What Happens After Uterine Fibroid Embolization?
You ask your loved one to take you home immediately after the procedure. You may need to take pain medications and anti-inflammatory drugs to ease the pain at the incision site. Most women resume their daily activities a week after the procedure. The South Florida Vascular Associates specialists understand that uterine fibroids can cause debilitating symptoms, so they offer a minimally invasive procedure to help you live a pain-free life.
If you have persistent pelvic pain or any other symptoms associated with uterine fibroids, call the South Florida Vascular Associates office or use the scheduling link to schedule your appointment.
