Myomas: risk factors, causes and treatment

Heavy menstruation, pain, a feeling of pressure on the bladder, and back and sciatic pain are some of the symptoms that indicate uterine myomas. These are mostly benign growths in the muscle layer of the uterus. Their causes are not fully understood, but some factors have already been discovered that favor fibroid formation.

The age of the woman seems to play a role. Myomas occur mainly in the 30s or 40s, up to menopause. Family background is also not unimportant. If a mother, grandmother or sister already had myomas, the risk is on average three times higher for the formation of myomas.

Diet can also increase the risk. Overweight women are two to three times more likely to have myomas. A lot of red meat on the menu promotes benign tumors. Therefore, a balanced and healthy lifestyle can be at least a small protection against myomas.

Estrogen and progesterone levels are more difficult to influence. Estrogen in particular is thought to stimulate the growth of myomas. This has been observed in pregnancies. During pregnancy, the hormone level is increased and growth is accelerated. Anti-hormone drugs, on the other hand, slow down or even shrink them. From menopause onwards, myomas also regress and the symptoms fade away.

Those who suffer from discomfort should not wait until menopause to see a gynecologist. Not only because of the pain, but also because secondary diseases such as bladder infections, anemia and childlessness can occur. Meanwhile, there are several ways to treat myomas, including medication. If these do not help, myomas can also be removed. This is also the case directly at diagnosis with HOLA laser therapy, in which the myomas are precisely removed using a laser light-conducting optical fiber. The treatment takes only 15 to 30 minutes, is performed under local anesthesia and on an outpatient basis. Since the tissue of the uterus is treated gently, there is usually no bleeding. There is also usually no scarring or adhesions. The recovery time can therefore come quickly and the likelihood of pregnancy increases.