During a woman’s reproductive life there are a number of health related conditions that are linked to hormone levels and the reproductive system in general. Some conditions will diminish without medical intervention, while others may require intrusive or non intrusive surgery. As such, the writer would like to examine the causes of ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids.
Uterine myomas, or fibroids as they commonly known, are a benign (non-cancerous) tumor that can grow in, or around the womb. The size of the tumor may vary, however, they consist of muscle and fibrous tissue. Generally speaking, one in four women will be affected by this condition. They occur during a woman’s reproductive life, that is between the ages of 16 to 50. They are generally harmless and normally shrink over time.
There are five varieties of myomas which include Intramural, (develop in the muscle wall) Subserosal, (develop outside of the wall) Submucousal (develop within the muscle) Pedunculated (grow outside of the wall of the womb) and cervical (develop in the wall of the cervix) Symptoms may or may not be present, however, if symptoms occur they can present as heavy bleeding or abdominal pain.
The causes of myomas are as yet, unestablished, however, they are closely linked to oestrogen levels. High levels of this hormone will promote growth of the tumor, however, post menopause, when levels decrease, tumors are known to shrink.
A cyst on the ovary may develop when a tissue filled sac grows inside of the ovary. This condition is reasonably common, however, a woman can be any age when this occurs. There are two distinct types of cysts and include, functional which is fairly common and is usually harmless, with a short life span. A pathological cyst can develop in the ovary and may be both non cancerous and cancerous.
There can be a number of causes for this condition, however, the most common are the follicular variety. Sometimes the follicle (a structure within the ovary) does not release the egg as it should. When this happens the follicle may swell with fluid and becomes a follicular type cyst. A Luteal cyst develops when the tissue, which is left behind after egg release, (the corpus leuteum), fills with blood. This type of cyst will normally diminish within a few months.
Outlining the causes of ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids, may hopefully offer the reader some insight into these conditions. Any woman that feels duly concerned about this condition, or may have experienced symptoms, should contact their physician.
Ovarian cysts and polycystic ovarian syndrome take a toll on a lot of ladies. We would also like to tell you about fibroids in uterus now so you will have an understanding of what it is.