Uterine fibroids can be more of a hassle than a life-threatening situation. It’s painful and can cause various illnesses to a woman’s body. It’s non-cancerous, but the symptoms can lead to serious diseases.
Older and pregnant women often have higher risks of developing uterine fibroids. By the age of 35, about 30% of women get fibroids. When women reach their 50s, the chances of getting it increases. About 80% of women in their 50s develop fibroids.
Effects of Uterine Fibroids
Having uterine fibroids can have certain effects on the body. Here are a few of them:
- Heavy and/or painful vaginal bleeding
- Bloating in the lower stomach or pelvic area
- Frequent urination
- Lower backache
- Painful intercourse
- Pregnancy complications and increased chance of undergoing C-section
- Reproduction problems
The effects may or may not occur in a woman with uterine fibroids. Some women don’t even have any symptoms. This leaves them living normal lives despite having them.
The problem with fibroids arise based on three factors:
- Size
- Location
- Number of tumors
When a tumor would grow, the chances of getting serious complications to arise. For example, a pregnant woman with a growing fibroid has higher chances of deep vein thrombosis. It’s because the tumor would push blood into the legs and pelvic area causing clots.
Another factor is the location. Fibroids that grow on certain parts of the uterus can cause painful effects. And lastly, the number of tumors. If there is a high number of tumors growing, there’s a bigger chance of complications.
Uterine Fibroids and Blood Pressure
A study suggests that uterine fibroids increase a woman’s high of hypertension. Normally, about 28% of women get high blood pressure. But, chances increase up to 40% for women with uterine fibroids.
There’s no clear reason for the increased chances of hypertension in women with fibroids. But, there’s a great chance that it’s because of the pressure the tumors put on a woman’s uterine muscles.
Also, immense pain and discomfort may play a big part in this situation. Acute pain can increase blood pressure. Regular menstrual pain might be manageable. But, chronic pain might trigger hypertension especially if it’s beyond what a woman experiences regularly.
Another thing to consider is that excessive bleeding may cause anemia. Anemia may then lead to low blood pressure or hypotension. This is because the body would lose a lot of red blood cells when a woman bleeds heavily.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that uterine fibroids may cause low or high blood pressure. This would also depend on an individual’s overall health. In these cases, it’s important to get a regular checkup in case you experience any of the signs listed above.
With a doctor’s consultation, you can adjust your daily habits and diet. Your doctor must know your complete medical history. This will let him/her give an accurate diagnosis since hypotension and hypertension tend to have similar symptoms.
Eat a healthy diet packed with potassium, B vitamins, and fiber. This may help you get through the symptoms of fibroids. Also, it might be able to shrink the tumors without needing any invasive procedures.
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