With one hand pressed self-consciously to your lower belly in the morning, you opt for a loose-fitting dress instead of a pair of jeans for the day. After all, your bloating is uncomfortable enough as it is without tight pants.
And as you once again ponder the cause of the sensation — Is it time to eliminate gluten? Do you just need to work out more? — we encourage you to consider another potential culprit: uterine fibroids.
And if you’re wondering how or why there might be connection, allow us to answer your questions:
How Do Fibroids Cause Bloating?
One of the most commonly experienced symptoms among women with uterine fibroids is a“ “feeling of fullness in the pelvic area (lower stomach area),” according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
As such, a persistent battle against bloating may indicate the presence of fibroids.
Such bloating or abdominal enlargement “can be caused by a large fibroid pushing into the stomach area,” as reported by Michigan Medicine with the University of Michigan. Consequently, the larger a fibroid grows, the more bloating or pelvic pressure a woman may experience.
Should I Be Concerned About Fibroid-Related Bloating?
While fibroid-related bloating may be uncomfortable, it is generally not dangerous to the patient. Depending on where the fibroid is located, it may cause pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, or excessive menstrual bleeding, among other symptoms, but is otherwise benign.
Additionally, while uterine fibroids are tumors located on or around the uterus, they are typically not cancerous.
“It’s extremely rare for a fibroid to go through changes that transform it into a cancerous or a malignant tumor,” as explained by Cleveland Clinic. “In fact, one out of 350 women with fibroids will develop malignancy.”
How Can I Find Solutions?
If bloating has you feeling a bit defeated, it’s important you know that you don’t have to resign yourself to continued discomfort. In fact, by treating your uterine fibroids with uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), you can effectively reduce or eliminate bloating altogether and restore your comfort!
During UFE, “tiny particles (about the size of grains of sand) are injected into the blood vessels that lead to the uterus,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) explains. “The particles cut off the blood flow to the fibroid and cause it to shrink.”
What’s more, UFE is FDA-approved, minimally-invasive, and can be completed in one simple outpatient visit.
So, are you ready to become a #FibroidFighter who is free of bloating? Then contact Duval Vascular & Fibroid Center today! We specialize in educating, diagnosing, treating, and empowering our patients, and we can’t wait to help you stop fibroids from cramping your style!
