Uterine fibroids are so common that they affect as many as 80% of women under the age of 50. Fibroids can cause a range of symptoms, including:
They can also increase your risk of pregnancy complications and even infertility.
Fortunately, treatment can often offer relief. Here at Westover Hills Women’s Health in San Antonio, Texas, Houmam Al-Hakeem, MD, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, is an expert at diagnosing and treating uterine fibroids.
Dr. Al-Hakeem would like to share the following information about uterine fibroid treatment so that if you have fibroids, you can understand all of your treatment options.
Uterine fibroids are growths of fibrous tissue in your uterus. They are very rarely cancerous, but they can cause painful, annoying symptoms. Fibroids range in size from very small to quite large and may occur individually or in clusters.
Also known as myomas or leiomyomas, fibroids may grow in several different places within the uterus: in the uterine wall, the uterine cavity (the open space within the uterus), or on the outside of the uterus.
Uterine fibroids usually require treatment only if they cause symptoms. Treatment options include medication and surgery.
Various medications can help relieve uterine fibroid symptoms. For example, over-the-counter pain relievers can help with mild pain. Hormonal birth control methods (pills, injections, and IUD) may reduce bleeding and pain. And a class of medications known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists can sometimes shrink fibroids.
If medication doesn’t provide adequate relief, or if you don’t want to take hormonal medications because of a desire to get pregnant, you may want to consider surgical treatments.
Here at Westover Hills Women’s Health, we perform minimally invasive surgery for uterine fibroids. Whenever possible, we try to keep your uterus intact.
Dr. Al-Hakeem has extensive experience with the Acessa procedure, which uses a process known as radiofrequency ablation to eliminate fibroids. Dr. Al-Hakeem uses a thin needle to deliver carefully targeted heat energy to a fibroid to destroy it without harming nearby tissue.
The Acessa treatment, which we do under general anesthesia, is performed via two tiny incisions in your abdomen. Recuperation is quick, and you can soon get back to your everyday activities.
If you have uterine fibroids, or if you are experiencing fibroid-type symptoms, we can help. Dr. Al-Hakeem offers a full range of diagnostic and treatment services for uterine fibroids and many other gynecological conditions. He creates a personalized treatment plan that is just right for you.
To schedule a consultation at one of our two San Antonio, Texas, offices, call us today or make an appointment using our online tool.
