What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids After Menopause?
Fibroid tumors, which are generally noncancerous growths in and/or around the uterus, can still cause significant issues for a woman's health after menopause; her general, as well as gynecological, health can be affected. Fibroid tumors, although bothersome, are usually not dangerous.
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Pain
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Fibroid tumors can cause pelvic pain and pain during intercourse. Depending on the location of a tumor, bowel movements can become painful as well. A woman with fibroid tumor(s) can suffer from lower back pain, possibly due to the pressure on internal organs and the placement of the tumor(s).
Urinary Symptoms
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Women with fibroid tumors which attach themselves to the uterine wall near the bladder may experience urinary problems; these can include difficulty in urination or more frequent urination. This happens because the fibroid tumor, as it grows larger, begins to press on the bladder.
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After Menopause
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An important point to make is that fibroid tumors grow most rapidly during a woman's reproductive years, because she produces estrogen. After menopause, women can experience a shrinkage of their fibroid tumors. Menopause means that the reproductive hormones, including estrogen, are decreasing; because fibroid tumors thrive on estrogen, this means the tumors will decrease in size.
Risk of Cancer
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It is very rare that fibroid tumors will become cancerous. It is still a very prudent idea for the woman and her gynecologist to keep a close eye on the fibroid(s) and make sure this change does not take place. Most tumors develop from a single smooth muscle cell (monoclonal, or coming from a single clone).
Women at Higher Risk
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Uterine fibroids happen in approximately 70 percent of women before age 45; approximately 25 percent of white women and 50 percent of black women develop symptoms that indicate the presence of fibroids. Women with a high body mass index are more likely to develop uterine fibroids; however, women who have given birth and who smoke cigarettes seem to have protective factors, and they are less likely to develop uterine fibroids.
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