Fibroids

      Uterine growths are tissue enlargements of the uterus. Uterine growths can be caused by either harmless, benign growths. Fibroids are very common growth seen in uterus, Polyps also very common found in cervix and endometrium. Adenomyosis and endometriosis are rare, but the occurrence is seen more now a days.

Uterine fibroids
       Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in the uterus, are rarely life threatening. They can cause a variety of symptoms or no symptoms at all. Fibroids are composed primarily of muscle cells that grow as a single lump or cluster of lumps within the uterine wall. Fibroids range in size from less than one inch in diameter to the size of a grapefruit.

Fibroids are classified in three ways, depending on their location:

Submucosal: These grow just under the uterine lining into the uterine cavity. They can cause bleeding, pain and infertility.

Intramural: This most common type of fibroid grows in between the muscles of the uterine wall. These fibroids usually cause pressure-type symptoms and less often, heavy menstruation.

Subserosal: These fibroids grow from the uterine wall to the outside of the uterus. They can push on other organs, such as the bladder, bowel or intestine, causing abdominal bloating, pressure, cramps or pain. Some fibroids grow on "stalks" sticking out from the uterus or into the uterine cavity.

Causes
      Fibroids are most common among women between ages 30 and 40 and women with a family history of fibroids. Being overweight raises your risk slightly. Some studies suggest that Estrogen is known to influence fibroid growth.

Symptoms
      Most fibroids produce no symptoms. If fibroids trigger symptoms- generally because of their size, number or location-they can cause longer and heavier menstrual bleeding, pelvic discomfort and pain, pressure on other organs, miscarriages and infertility. Having fibroids also increases your risk of complications during pregnancy.

Adenomyosis
      When the innermost lining of the uterus grows into the wall of the uterus, the condition is called adenomyosis. Normally, when the endometrium is shed off during a menstrual period, the blood is free to drain out through the cervix. When the lining goes into the muscle, some of the blood may be trapped. When this is extended it may cause severe cramps and heavy bleeding. This can cause the walls of the uterus to thicken and the uterus to become enlarged. Often an enlarged uterus with adenomyosis is misdiagnosed as being fibroids.

Endometriosis

    Endometriosis is described as the presence of endometrial tissue in locations outside the uterine cavity. It is a misplaced tissue of the endometrium. Wherever it happens to grow, this tissue behaves like the endometrium. When hormones cue the endometrium to build up during the menstrual cycle, the misplaced endometrial tissue does the same thing. When hormones signal the time for menstruation, the tissue bleeds. Unfortunately, when the blood can’t exit from the body, internal bleeding starts and it leads to pain and scarring.

      Fibroids are confined to the uterus like endometriosis to the endometrial tissue and may grow inside the uterus as “Adenomyosis” which is considered as sister of endometriosis. Endometriosis is commonly found behind the uterus, the tissue between the rectum and vagina, surface of the rectum, the fallopian tubes and ovaries, the uterosacral ligaments, the bladder and the pelvic sidewall.

Uterine Polyps
      Endometrial polyps are the growths in the lining of the uterus that are very common and usually benign. They usually hang from the lining of the uterus like figs in, but at times can be rather flat. They also occur at cervix. Polyps may result from long-term estrogen usage, anovulatory menstruation or from taking estrogen hormones without any progestrone.

Diagnosis
    General and gynaecologic health and pelvic examination will give a clue to some extent. Ultrasonography is needed for provisional diagnosis. This is important to distinguish endometriosis from other problems, such as ovarian cysts. Diagnosis of endometriosis is only possible by the direct observation of the misplaced endometrium with "chocolate cysts". As endometrial tissue bleeds cycle after cycle, these cysts are filled with dark blood and may eventually develop to the size of a grapefruit. This requires a laparoscopy. Where a fine telescope is inserted into the abdominal cavity through a tiny incision to allow inspection of the pelvic organs.