Adenomyosis And Heavy Bleeding

You would need to understand what causes adenomyosis to comprehend the relationship between adenomyosis and heavy bleeding.

Adenomyosis occurs when cells from the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium) penetrate into the adjacent muscle layer (myometrium) and begin to grow there.

The endometrium is the same layer that builds up every month with blood and tissue to prepare for a potential pregnancy. When no pregnancy occurs, this lining is shed during the menstruation cycle.

The myometrium is the thick muscular layer of the uterus that contracts during menstruation to help loosen and shed the unnecessary lining. The myometrium also generates different types of contractions during labor and delivery.

When endometrial cells penetrate into the myometrium, it causes an excess build-up of blood and tissue and can cause the uterus to expand two to three times its original size. This thickened layer is called the subendometrium and should be thicker than 9 mm, but in adenomyosis is often several times thicker. These abnormal endometrial cells interfere with uterine functionality and result in adenomyosis and heavy bleeding.

Who Is Most Often Affected By Adenomyosis Bleeding?

Adenomyosis affects women during their childbearing years and is often found in women who have had at least one child. Some women have adenomyosis without heavy bleeding or any other associated symptoms. Others suffer through painful symptoms of adenomyosis including constant bleeding several days out of the month.

What Is The Best Way To Stop Adenomyosis Bleeding?

Adenomyosis and heavy bleeding can be debilitating and affect a woman’s quality of life. Women have reported that their relationships and careers have suffered as a result of adenomyosis and heavy bleeding. The best way to stop adenomyosis bleeding is to treat the condition using uterine artery embolization (UAE).

Uterine Artery Embolization Can Stop Adenomyosis Bleeding

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a non-surgical procedure that can be performed right in our offices at Atlanta Fibroid Center by one of the leading experts on UAE. Dr. John Lipman is an interventional radiologist who has over 10,000 procedures to his credit and over 30 years of experience. This outpatient procedure only takes about 30 minutes and a short recovery of 5-7 days.

UAE works by blocking the blood vessels that are feeding the growth of the adenomyosis causing the associated symptoms to subside.

UAE is successful in treating adenomyosis and eliminating symptoms in approximately 70-80% of women and should be considered as a first-line treatment for adenomyosis especially before undergoing a hysterectomy.