Can you check for fibroids at home? A definite fibroid diagnosis requires a doctor, but paying attention to your body may allow you to recognize specific symptoms that indicate that you have fibroids.
Many fibroids are discovered during a routine gynecological exam, but you may be wondering how to check for fibroids at home.
Today, we are going to answer some FAQs about how you check for fibroids at home, fibroid symptoms to watch for, what you can do at home, and when you should seek professional help.
How Would A Woman Not Know She Has Fibroids?
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus and affect up to 70% of all women before they reach the age of 50.
Some women do not have any symptoms with fibroids, but others may experience heavy bleeding, pain, pressure, etc., and they are unaware that the symptoms they are having are due to fibroids.
Because women do not often discuss the personal details of their periods, many just assume that what they are experiencing is normal and do the best they can to alleviate the symptoms caused by fibroids at home. Home remedies can be beneficial in certain circumstances and may offer some relief, but self-treatment of fibroid symptoms can only provide temporary relief at best.
Can You Be Predisposed to Fibroids?
Yes. Although there is no known cause of uterine fibroids, experts know that some women are predisposed to them due to a number of factors. Some of these factors include:
- Women between 30 and 40 are most affected by fibroids.
- African American women are at a higher risk of fibroids.
- Women who started their period at a younger age.
- Women with a family history of fibroids are more likely to develop them.
- Overweight or obese women have a higher risk of fibroids.
- Women with low Vitamin D levels are at increased risk for fibroids.
What Are Some Signs That I Might Have Fibroids?
Fibroids can be a bit tricky to diagnose because many of the symptoms they cause are also indicative of other gynecological conditions. Many women do not even know they have fibroids because they are not experiencing any symptoms at all, but the symptoms caused by fibroids vary and are usually related to their size and location. You may have fibroids if you are experiencing symptoms, including:
- Very heavy bleeding or prolonged menstrual period;
- Pain or pressure in the pelvic region;
- Abdominal bloating or a feeling of fullness in your lower abdomen. You may even look as if you are several months pregnant, but you are not.
- Having to urinate more often than normal or having to make frequent trips to the bathroom during your sleeping hours;
- Experiencing pain or pressure during intercourse;
- Lower back pain or pain radiating down the legs;
- Infertility.
If these symptoms sound familiar, it is worth talking with your doctor about them because they could be related to fibroids or other conditions.
A pelvic (transabdominal and vaginal) ultrasound or a pelvic MRI can be used to determine if you have fibroids, where they are located, how many there are, and their size. In fact, pelvic MRI is much more accurate than pelvic ultrasound in evaluating one’s fibroid burden. This is particularly true with respect to the actual number of fibroids in the uterus.
Can You Feel Uterine Fibroids With Your Fingers?
In some cases, you may be able to feel fibroids yourself if they are large enough and located near the frontal (anterior) surface of your uterus. If you have been wondering, “How can I check myself for fibroids?” you can try the following:
- Step 1: Lie down and relax on your back on a flat surface.
- Step 2: Gently press down on your lower abdomen using your fingers to feel for any unusual lumps or firmness in the area below your belly button.
- Step 3: Feel for areas that feel tender or are painful, as well as areas that feel much harder or lumpier than normal.
If you feel a hard lump or mass in the lower portion of your abdomen, you may have fibroids growing in that location, and you should see your doctor for confirmation.
Can Fibroids Be Detected During A Pap Smear?
No, a pap smear is done to detect cervical cancer and is not used for detecting fibroids. Normally, a pap smear is done during a routine OB/GYN visit, and sometimes during the examination portion of the visit, the doctor discovers the presence of fibroids.
A Professional Diagnosis From A Doctor Is The Best Way To Check For Fibroids
You may see or feel signs that tell you something is not right, and you may think you have a fibroid belly, hard to the touch, but it is important to have a doctor check you to determine the cause so proper treatment can be given. A doctor may be able to feel for irregularities in your uterus and then can confirm the presence of fibroids using an imaging test (i.e., pelvic ultrasound or MRI exam).
Track Your Cycle And Monitor Symptoms
While you most likely will not be able to check for fibroids at home, you can keep an eye on your symptoms and any changes you observe during your monthly cycle, including:
- Tracking your monthly periods: Record the length, flow, and any blood clots and their size (if they are quarter-size or larger).
- Monitoring any pain or pressure: Write down when and where in your body it is occurring. Does this pain appear related to and/or worse during the time surrounding your menstrual period?
- Paying attention to changes in your abdomen or urinary habits: Observe any bloating, enlargement, or changes in how often you urinate.
Providing this information to your doctor can be helpful in finding out the underlying reasons behind your symptoms, so a treatment can be crafted for your specific needs.
Can You Treat Fibroids At Home?
There is some controversy surrounding the effectiveness of treating fibroids at home, but many believe that making some lifestyle changes can help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with fibroids. There are some productive things you can do at home to reduce the amount of estrogen you are exposed to, and some natural herbal remedies that may help keep your symptoms better controlled.
Limit Estrogen Exposure
Fibroids are known to grow when they are exposed to excess estrogen, and these days, women are often overexposed to estrogen. The earlier a woman starts her period, or the longer she puts off having children, the higher her estrogen levels remain. Excess fat promotes the creation and storage of estrogen, so women with higher ratios of body fat also have elevated levels of estrogen.
Our environment is one of the largest contributors to our estrogen levels. We are exposed to excess estrogen every day in the form of xenoestrogens, which are substances that mimic our natural estrogen but cause serious issues. They bind with our estrogen receptor sites and inhibit their natural function.
Xenoestrogens can be found in plastics, pesticides, water sources, some oral contraceptives, some dairy products, red meat, and hormone replacement therapy. Soy can also affect estrogen levels by causing it to multiply, or in some cases, it can block estrogen. Although not as much of an issue these days (as more women are wearing their hair naturally), hair relaxers have as their main ingredient a chemical that is biochemically similar to estrogen.
Processed foods often contain ingredients that interact with our natural estrogen and can cause mutations. It is important to read labels if you are attempting to limit your estrogen exposure.
Watch Your Diet
The foods you eat can affect your estrogen levels and create the perfect environment to promote fibroid growth. The reverse is also true, and choosing foods that are rich in vitamins and nutrients may be helpful in keeping fibroids from growing larger. Consuming more colored fruits and vegetables (which contain flavonoids that block an important enzyme in estrogen production) can decrease your estrogen levels.
Natural Herbal Fibroid Treatments Home Remedies
Resveratrol
Resveratrol belongs to a compound group called polyphenols. They are believed to have antioxidant properties, reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease and suppressing the growth of uterine fibroid cells.
It can be found naturally in the skin of red grapes, peanuts, red wine, blueberries, raspberries, and mulberries.
Curcumin
This antioxidant is extracted from turmeric and has anti-inflammatory properties. Research has shown that curcumin was effective in stopping fibroid cell growth in rats and concluded that it may be a useful treatment for uterine leiomyomas.
Green Tea
It is probably no surprise to see green tea on this list as it has been known for its antioxidant properties for centuries. Green tea extract (aka Epigallocatechin or EGCG) was used in a small study that evaluated women with symptomatic fibroids. Some women in the study took 800 mg of green tea, and others were given a placebo every day for four months. The group that was taking the green tea extract showed reductions in both fibroid size and the severity of their symptoms.
Lifestyle Changes
Many women report that they have kept their fibroid symptoms at bay through some changes in their lifestyle. Losing weight, eating healthier, getting enough sleep, and stretching exercises like Tai-chi or yoga are some of the fibroid self-treatments that women have reported as helpful.
Well Established Remedies
There are also the usual methods of heating pads and over-the-counter medications to help ease fibroid symptoms, but these, like all the other at-home fibroid treatments, often only relieve fibroid symptoms temporarily.
There is no known cure for fibroids, and trying to self-treat them may become exhausting or eventually ineffective. Untreated fibroids can potentially cause serious issues.
Are There Downside Of Treating Fibroids At Home?
Yes. You may be alleviating some of the symptoms, but untreated fibroids can sometimes cause serious issues, including:
Anemia
Fibroids are the most common cause of heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding. Losing a large amount of blood can lead to anemia, which is a serious condition and presents with symptoms of severe fatigue, dizziness, weakness, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches, chewing/craving ice (or occasionally inedible substances like dirt or clay), cold hands and feet.
Urinary Bowel Problems
Fibroids that grow large can exert pressure on nearby organs or nerves. Pressure on the bladder can cause frequent urination or obstruct urine and cause a UTI, and similarly, pressure on the bowel can cause constipation.
Back Leg Pain
Large fibroids that are located on the back of the uterus can press against key nerves and create back or leg pain radiating down the legs.
Infertility
Numerous or large fibroids can interfere with every part of the fertility journey from fertilization to delivery.
A Decrease In Quality Of Life
Many women who suffer from the symptoms of fibroids are unable to function for several days or weeks each month. They miss work, social functions, and time with their families due to heavy menstrual bleeding and pain. Women have been mistaken for being pregnant due to their swollen bellies being swollen with fibroids. Many women with fibroids experience pain during sex, which inhibits their desire to be intimate and affects their relationships.
Why Don’t More Women Seek Fibroid Treatment?
One main reason is that they believe what they are enduring is normal. They have had pain and heavy periods as long as they can remember, and their mother and grandmother may have experienced the same.
The other big reason women attempt fibroid treatments at home is that most of them are told by their OB-GYN that their only other option for fibroid treatment is surgery, and they are not okay with that answer.
Approximately 500,000 hysterectomies are done each year in the United States, and only about 10% of them are medically necessary. Fibroids are the #1 reason for hysterectomy and make up about one-third of all hysterectomies in the country.
Is There An Alternative To Having Surgery For Fibroids?
Yes. Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) can effectively treat fibroids and give you back your life without surgery. UFE is an outpatient procedure done by an Interventional Radiologist, and it takes less than 45 minutes to complete. During the procedure, the blood supply that the fibroids need to survive is cut off, and they begin to die. As this occurs over time, they soften and shrink. Dead fibroids mean no more fibroid symptoms, which means no more missing out on life, work, or social events.
Eliminating fibroids does not have to mean losing your uterus or long surgical recovery times. Dr. John Lipman, the founder of The Atlanta Fibroid Center, is one of the world’s leading experts in UFE and has been helping women with fibroids for over 25 years.
Find Safe And Effective Treatment For Fibroids
If you have been diagnosed with fibroids or are experiencing symptoms of fibroids, you can find relief at the Atlanta Fibroid Center. Dr. John Lipman is an interventional radiologist with decades of experience in performing the UFE procedure.
He and the team of compassionate professionals at the Atlanta Fibroid Center can help reduce or eliminate your fibroid symptoms without any surgery. UFE can treat all your fibroids and leave your uterus intact. End your suffering and get your life back. Set up a consultation to learn more.
