Fibroids

Fibroids are uterine growths that, while usually harmless, can cause unpleasant symptoms. Clinton Ashford, MD, FACOG, Rebecca Ashford, MD, and Brookes Vaughan, NP, at The Ashford Center in Athens, Georgia, specialize in endometrial ablation, a minimally invasive procedure that can help if you have fibroids or are experiencing similar gynecological problems. Schedule a consultation online or by phone today to learn more about endometrial ablation and how it’s used to treat fibroids.

What are fibroids?

Fibroids are growths inside your uterus. They’re usually benign and slow growing, and in many cases, women who have uterine fibroids are unaware of them because they experience no symptoms. Fibroids don’t affect your ability to conceive or have a successful pregnancy, and often cause no problems at all.

It’s possible for fibroids to develop at any time until you reach menopause, and they can vary in size from microscopic to large enough to push the walls of your uterus out of shape. You can have one or many fibroids, and a mixture of different sizes at the same time.

What symptoms do fibroids cause?

Although some women develop fibroids without experiencing symptoms, other women suffer a range of uncomfortable and inconvenient problems when they have fibroids, including:

• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Periods that last longer than a week
• Pain or pressure in the pelvic region
• Needing to urinate more often than normal
• Problems emptying the bladder completely
• Constipation
• Backache
• Painful legs

It’s also possible for fibroids to die off, a rare but extremely painful condition.

One of the problems with the symptoms of fibroids is that they can be very similar to symptoms of other conditions that affect the female reproductive system. If you’re experiencing problems that could be due to fibroids, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis before starting any treatment.

How are fibroids diagnosed?

Diagnostic methods that can confirm the presence of fibroids include:

• Transabdominal or transvaginal ultrasound
• Hysterosonography
• Hysterosalpingography
• Hysteroscopy
• MRI

It’s not uncommon to find that what you thought were symptoms of fibroids are, in fact, symptoms of a different condition altogether.

How can endometrial ablation help with fibroids?

Endometrial ablation can potentially help with fibroids by removing your uterine lining where the fibroids grow. This lining, called the endometrium, is linked not just to the development of fibroids, but many other gynecological conditions that cause similar symptoms.

Removing your endometrium using advanced ablation techniques is an effective, minimally invasive solution to a range of symptoms, effectively ending menstruation and hormonal imbalances without the need for a hysterectomy.

Endometrial ablation is a straightforward in-office procedure in which Dr. Ashford is a pioneer. If you don’t plan to have any more children, undergoing endometrial ablation could be the solution to a number of distressing gynecological problems.

Call The Ashford Center or schedule a consultation online today to find out more about endometrial ablation and how it can be used for fibroid removal.