If you are experiencing symptoms commonly related to fibroids, it may be time to talk with your doctor. Physical exams and testing can help your doctor determine if you have fibroids. The following is an outline of what you might expect during a visit to your doctor.
Finding out if you have fibroids
During a routine pelvic exam, your doctor will feel the size and shape of your uterus. If the doctor finds your uterus is enlarged or irregularly shaped, fibroids may be the cause. Since pregnancy can also enlarge the uterus, your doctor may want to test for that possibility, especially if you don’t have any other symptoms of fibroids such as bleeding, pain, or pressure.
Testing for fibroids
Your doctor may suggest one of the following tests to help find out if you have fibroids:
Ultrasound (or sonography) uses sound waves to create a picture of the uterus and the pelvic organs.
Hysteroscopy allows the doctor to see some fibroids inside the uterus by using a tiny camera on the end of a long tube. This slender instrument, called a hysteroscope, is inserted through the vagina and cervix.
Hysterosalpingography, also called HSG, is a type of X-ray test. A hysterosalpingography is performed after a special dye is injected into the uterus. It may detect abnormal changes in the size and shape of the uterus and fallopian tubes.
Laparoscopy helps the doctor see inside a woman’s abdomen with a slender instrument called a laparoscope. The laparoscope is inserted through a small cut just below or above the navel and can help the doctor see if fibroids are present or other medical conditions exist.
If you have any questions about these procedures, or why one has been recommended instead of another, talk to your doctor. Our Doctor Discussion Guide offers a list of questions you can print and take with you to your next doctor visit.
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