By A Woman’s Place in Naples, FL
July is Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month and if you’ve ever been told you have fibroids, or wondered whether your symptoms might be related to them, this is your invitation to get the full picture.
Fibroids are one of the most common conditions affecting women, yet they’re also one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated. Too many women spend years dealing with pain, heavy periods, and disrupted daily life before finding out there’s a real explanation and real solutions.
What Are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. They range in size from a tiny nodule to masses large enough to change the shape of the uterus. Research suggests that up to 80% of women will develop fibroids by age 50, though many will never know it because fibroids often cause no symptoms at all.
When they do cause symptoms, those symptoms can be significant. And for women of color, particularly Black women, fibroids tend to develop earlier, grow larger, and cause more severe symptoms than in white women. That disparity makes awareness and early diagnosis even more important.
Common Symptoms to Know
Not all fibroids announce themselves. But when they do, here’s what you might notice:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding: soaking through a pad or tampon in an hour or changing protection overnight
- Periods that last longer than a week
- Pelvic pressure or pain, including lower back pain
- Frequent urination or difficulty emptying the bladder
- Pain during intercourse
- Difficulty getting or staying pregnant
If any of these sound familiar, it’s worth having a conversation with your provider. These symptoms are common but common doesn’t mean you have to live with them.
How Are Fibroids Diagnosed?
Most fibroids are discovered during a routine pelvic exam or through ultrasound imaging. At A Woman’s Place, we offer gynecologic ultrasound right in our office, which means you don’t have to navigate a separate facility to get answers.
| “Acessa® is a life changing surgery!”
A Woman’s Place Patient Testimonial |
Treatment Options: More Choices Than You Might Think
Not all fibroids need treatment. If yours are small, not growing, and not causing symptoms, monitoring over time may be all that’s needed. But if your fibroids are affecting your quality of life, there’s a wide range of options and surgery is not always the first step.
Medication can help manage symptoms like heavy bleeding and pelvic pain, though it doesn’t eliminate fibroids permanently.
For minimally invasive treatment, the team at A Woman’s Place offers several advanced options through our Gynecologic Surgery options:
- Acessa® — a laparoscopic procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to treat fibroids while preserving the uterus
- MyoSure® — an in-office hysteroscopic procedure to remove fibroids and polyps without incisions
- NovaSure® — endometrial ablation to reduce or eliminate heavy bleeding
- da Vinci® Robotic Surgery — minimally invasive robotic-assisted myomectomy or hysterectomy for more complex cases
The right option depends on your symptoms, the size and location of your fibroids, and your future pregnancy plans. Your provider at A Woman’s Place will walk you through what makes sense for your specific situation.
| “Dr. Parker provided a clear explanation of her prognosis and took time to answer all my questions. I have appreciated working with Dr. Parker for over three years now. Her willingness to make time at appointments for in-depth discussions about treatment options like fibroids has really built my trust. ”
A Woman’s Place Patient Testimonial |
This Month, Make the Appointment You’ve Been Putting Off
Fibroid Awareness Month is a good reason to stop waiting. Whether you’ve been brushing off heavy periods as normal or you’ve been managing pelvic pain for years: you deserve to know what’s actually going on and what can be done about it.
By A Woman’s Place in Naples, FL
July is Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month and if you’ve ever been told you have fibroids, or wondered whether your symptoms might be related to them, this is your invitation to get the full picture.
Fibroids are one of the most common conditions affecting women, yet they’re also one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated. Too many women spend years dealing with pain, heavy periods, and disrupted daily life before finding out there’s a real explanation and real solutions.
What Are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. They range in size from a tiny nodule to masses large enough to change the shape of the uterus. Research suggests that up to 80% of women will develop fibroids by age 50, though many will never know it because fibroids often cause no symptoms at all.
When they do cause symptoms, those symptoms can be significant. And for women of color, particularly Black women, fibroids tend to develop earlier, grow larger, and cause more severe symptoms than in white women. That disparity makes awareness and early diagnosis even more important.
Common Symptoms to Know
Not all fibroids announce themselves. But when they do, here’s what you might notice:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding: soaking through a pad or tampon in an hour or changing protection overnight
- Periods that last longer than a week
- Pelvic pressure or pain, including lower back pain
- Frequent urination or difficulty emptying the bladder
- Pain during intercourse
- Difficulty getting or staying pregnant
If any of these sound familiar, it’s worth having a conversation with your provider. These symptoms are common but common doesn’t mean you have to live with them.
How Are Fibroids Diagnosed?
Most fibroids are discovered during a routine pelvic exam or through ultrasound imaging. At A Woman’s Place, we offer gynecologic ultrasound right in our office, which means you don’t have to navigate a separate facility to get answers.
| “Acessa® is a life changing surgery!”
A Woman’s Place Patient Testimonial |
Treatment Options: More Choices Than You Might Think
Not all fibroids need treatment. If yours are small, not growing, and not causing symptoms, monitoring over time may be all that’s needed. But if your fibroids are affecting your quality of life, there’s a wide range of options and surgery is not always the first step.
Medication can help manage symptoms like heavy bleeding and pelvic pain, though it doesn’t eliminate fibroids permanently.
For minimally invasive treatment, the team at A Woman’s Place offers several advanced options through our Gynecologic Surgery options:
- Acessa® — a laparoscopic procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to treat fibroids while preserving the uterus
- MyoSure® — an in-office hysteroscopic procedure to remove fibroids and polyps without incisions
- NovaSure® — endometrial ablation to reduce or eliminate heavy bleeding
- da Vinci® Robotic Surgery — minimally invasive robotic-assisted myomectomy or hysterectomy for more complex cases
The right option depends on your symptoms, the size and location of your fibroids, and your future pregnancy plans. Your provider at A Woman’s Place will walk you through what makes sense for your specific situation.
| “Dr. Parker provided a clear explanation of her prognosis and took time to answer all my questions. I have appreciated working with Dr. Parker for over three years now. Her willingness to make time at appointments for in-depth discussions about treatment options like fibroids has really built my trust. ”
A Woman’s Place Patient Testimonial |
This Month, Make the Appointment You’ve Been Putting Off
Fibroid Awareness Month is a good reason to stop waiting. Whether you’ve been brushing off heavy periods as normal or you’ve been managing pelvic pain for years: you deserve to know what’s actually going on and what can be done about it.
