Thanks to modern medicine, hysterectomies offer a safe, effective way to treat a wide range of women’s health issues — but they’re not for everyone.
Our team of experts at Marina OB/GYN wants you to be completely informed about your treatment options. Here, we explore a few of the reasons why hysterectomies are necessary.
1. Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a common condition that occurs when the tissue that normally lines your uterus grows outside of it. The result? Significant pain, irregular periods, and in many cases, infertility.
The first course of action when you have endometriosis is typically hormone therapy and other medical procedures to remove excess tissue. There are some circumstances of severe endometriosis when a hysterectomy is necessary.
It’s important to note that while a hysterectomy can reduce or eliminate your symptoms, there is a chance that endometriosis can return.
2. Uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that develop in the uterus. No one quite understands why uterine fibroids happen, but most blame hormonal and genetic changes. These pesky growths often cause heavy bleeding, pain, and stomach distention. They can also impact your fertility.
As with endometriosis, we typically attempt to address fibroids with medications and less-invasive procedures before recommending surgery.
3. Heavy bleeding
Hysterectomies are also an option if you struggle with heavy bleeding, diagnosed as regularly filling a tampon in less than two hours or passing blood clots larger than the size of a quarter.
You can develop heavy bleeding for any number of reasons, including:
- Fibroids
- Infections
- Hormonal changes
- Cancer
Often, heavy bleeding comes with stomach cramps and pain.
4. Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (also known as PID) is an infection of your reproductive organs. It typically stems from a sexually transmitted disease that has spread from your vagina to your uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.
PID is usually accompanied by pain, unusual vaginal discharges, painful intercourse, difficulty urinating, and sometimes fever.
5. Cancer
Cancer accounts for nearly 10% of all hysterectomies. It’s a treatment option if you have cancer of the uterus, ovaries, cervix, or endometrium. Sometimes, a hysterectomy is an appropriate treatment for precancerous conditions or if you are at high risk for developing cancer in the future.
6. Pelvic pain
Pelvic pain can be excruciating and comes from a wide range of diseases and conditions — it can even result from constipation. We recommend a hysterectomy to address pelvic pain when it’s caused by conditions like endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and other problems in your reproductive organs.
Want more information about what to expect from hysterectomies? We’d love to talk with you. Call or click to schedule an appointment at either our Marina Del Rey, Hawthorne, South Gate, or Carson, California, offices.