Up to 80% of people with uteruses will develop fibroids by the age of 50.
Fibroid degeneration is the breakdown of a fibroid through cell death.
This often causes the pain to decrease or subside.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Even if symptoms go away, it is still important to see a healthcare professional and address the problem.
Why Fibroids Break Down
Fibroids break down when they becomeischemic(lack adequate blood supply).
This ischemia is usually the result of a fibroid growing too large for its blood supply.
Fibroids occur in up to 12.5% of all pregnancies.
Degeneration can occur during pregnancy when the growth of the pregnancy compromises the blood supply of the fibroid.
Types of Degenerating Fibroids
About 65% of uterine fibroids eventually undergo some form of degeneration.
This jot down of degeneration happens when a fibroid outgrows its blood supply.
Myxoid degeneration refers to a fibroid that starts to have a more jelly-like composition, rather than normal tissues.
This key in of fibroid degeneration also happens when a fibroid outgrows its blood supply.
For this reason, fibroids undergoing myxoid degeneration can look similar to a rare form of cancer calledleiomyosarcoma.
Calcification occurs as a result of the blood supply being cut off.
The condition is more common in postmenopausal women.
About 3-10% of fibroids that degenerate undergo calcification.
Usually, calcification affects a small part of the fibroid.
Extensive calcification involving all of the fibroid is very rare.
Cystic Degeneration
Cystic degeneration is a jot down of fibroid degeneration that most often occursafter menopause.
Fibroids undergoing cystic degeneration take on a liquid, honeycomb-like pattern under a microscope and may mimic anovarian cyst.
About 4% of degenerating fibroids undergo cystic degeneration.
What Does a Fibroid Look Like?
Fibroids vary in size and texture.
Some fibroids never grow more than 5 centimeters in length, while others surpass 10 centimeters.
Fibroids can be smooth and round or irregularly shaped and lumpy.
This is called fibroid expulsion.
It is rare, but it may also cause abdominal pain and bleeding as it happens.
Fibroid Symptoms
Typicalsymptoms of fibroidscan include:
Are Fibroids Always Symptomatic?
Fibroids do not always cause symptoms.
Many people with fibroids experience few or no symptoms and may not realize they have fibroids.
For many people, degenerating fibroids are their first indication that they have fibroids at all.
Treatment for fibroids and fibroid symptoms includes medications, several non-surgical medical procedures, and surgery.
Unfortunately, fibroids that break down often regrow once adequate blood supply returns.
See a healthcare provider if you suspect you have fibroid symptoms or symptoms of degenerating fibroids.
Because fibroids commonly come back, your provider may suggest surgery or another specialist procedure to prevent this.
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