Uterine polyps (uterine polyps) are usually harmless growths that originate from the inner lining of the uterus. They do not pose any problems in many cases. But uterine polyps can cause discomfort such bleeding or cause miscarriage or fertility disorders. In addition, in very rare cases, a malignant tumor (uterine cancer or cervix cancer) may form on the bottom of a polyp. Therefore surgical removal of uterine polyps is recommended in many cases. However, they are often left in place if they cause no discomfort.
Causes
The specific cause of such polyps can not be determined. The polyps emanate from the mucous membrane as cell proliferation, lining the uterine cavity and the cervix. Some influences may favor the development of polyps.They are found increasingly during the years of transition, indicating a hormone-related development and development. Thus, some uterine polyps show a thickening under the influence of female sex hormones (estrogens, partly progestogens). They may be like the rest of the uterine lining, widened by estrogen during the menstrual cycle. Even pathological events such as inflammation in the uterus favor the development of uterine polyps.
Symptoms
The uterine polyps (uterine polyps) are benign tissue proliferation inside the organ. They can be located in the uterine cavity (corpus polyps, also: endometrial polyps) or in the cervix (cervical polyps). The cervical polyps are more common than the polyps in the uterine body.
Overall, polyps are relatively common changes in the uterus: in ten percent of the cases, polyps are found in removed wombs. For the most part, this affects women during and after the menopause. A polyp infestation of the uterus is also possible in younger years. Cervical polyps may be of various shapes, e.g. B. be compact, pedunculated or limp. They may contain some glandular tissue or sometimes cysts (hollow structures with liquid contents). Only rarely are uterine polyps larger than a few centimeters, often measuring only millimeters.
Often it is only a single polyp in the uterus, to about 20 percent are also several polyps. A uterine polyp can be found in different places, for example in the vicinity of a fallopian tube or the cervix.
Cervical polyps often remain without symptoms. In some cases, however, they can lead to complaints. Thus, uterine polyps, especially if they are in the cervix, can lead to irregular bleeding. Such polyps may also cause discharge from the vagina or cervix. Sometimes polyps come out of the cervix. You may be disturbed, some sufferers feel a foreign body sensation. Also, the polyps can lead to pain during sex. Regardless, there may be a rotation of a uterine polyp, which then hurts a lot, which may remind of contractions.
Cervical polyps often remain without further consequences. In about one to two percent of cases, they can degenerate, that is from a benign to a malignant tumor (cancer). In addition, the risk of uterine cancer is generally higher in other places if a polyp is present. This is because there is usually an elevated level of the hormone estrogen, which also plays a role in uterine cancer development.
Furthermore, uterine polyps can sometimes lead to miscarriages. In a few cases, polyps can also be a cause of a woman not becoming pregnant despite frequent intercourse (infertility).
Diagnosis of Uterine Polyps
In an examination (anamnesis) possible symptoms from the point of view of the affected persons are discussed. The doctor also asks about previous illnesses, pregnancies or other important circumstances. In a gynecological examination, the doctor looks into the vagina and assesses the cervix. He can find the polyps there. In some cases, the doctor can feel the polyps with his fingers. Uterine polyps can be easily found by ultrasound.
In a possible hysteroscopy, polyps can be seen via an optical device. This examination may be worthwhile if polyps are sitting high up in the uterus.
Differential diagnosis
More important, however, is the delineation of benign findings to malignant tumors. Therefore, even without discomfort removal of such growths may be indicated to determine in a histological examination (histology) the exact tissue type of the change.
Therapy
Cervical polyps can be treated by removing them with one procedure. A therapy without surgical measures is not possible with the polyps.
Polyps in the cervix can usually be eliminated in a fairly simple manner, by removing them with a pair of pliers by means of rotary movements. Often no anesthesia is necessary. Alternatively, removal by means of an electric loop is possible. If necessary, a heavier bleeding must be stopped.
The distinction between polyps and fibroids is sometimes poorly possible. Fibroids are another type of benign growth of the uterus, they come from the muscular layer of the uterus. Frequently such fibroids are also present at the same time as the polyps in the uterus.
Polyps in the main part (body) of the uterus are most frequently used by means of a curettage (Curettage) removed. The scraping is done under general anesthesia. Thereafter, a womb mirror is often performed to see any remaining findings can.
The removed tissue is sent to a laboratory where it is examined histologically (histology). This can also be used to determine whether it is indeed a benign finding or whether there are not malicious portions.
If the uterus is affected by many polyps, then it can be useful in very rare cases to remove the whole organ. This is especially after the menopause into consideration.
For polyp removal surgery, the possible complications should be considered. There is a possibility that disorders such as bleeding, infection or organ damage occur. During pregnancy, polyps should not be removed, even those in the cervix. The danger of a miscarriage it is too high.
Forecast
Women with polyps in the uterus often have no symptoms. They do not disturb those affected. If the polyps are small, they can even regress.
In a small proportion of cases, malignant tumors may form from uterine polyps. For this reason, removal is usually advisable. After surgery, the polyp and thus the risk is usually eliminated. Certainly this is not, especially with large uterine polyps of women during or after the menopause a scissors do not always eliminate all shares.
A polyp can be detected by examining the gynecologist. Such precautionary examinations should therefore be carried out on a regular basis so that therapy can be given early if necessary.
12 Questions to Cervical Polyps
1. How can a womb polyp disappear on its own?
Many uterine polyps go completely unnoticed. They form under the influence of hormones, when estrogen levels are particularly high during the cycle. Usually they are only a few millimeters in size. With the next monthly bleeding, they disappear without the woman being aware of the polypus. As spontaneous as polyps arise, they can regress again.
Most uterine polyps remain asymptomatic. If detected by ultrasound, they should be checked regularly. Just as they can regress, in some cases they can degenerate. Although one out of a hundred polyps is statistically only one malignant, polyps, if longer, are removed to avoid risk. It is only with the removal (scraping) of the polyp that the risk of degeneration can be eliminated. Furthermore, uterine polyps may play a role in an unfulfilled desire to have a baby and this too may be a reason to remove them.
Causes the polyp no complaints and is small and unobtrusive, can wait first.
2. Is pregnancy possible despite uterine polyps?
Whether a woman with one Cervical polyps (Polyposis uteri) can become pregnant, depends on the location and size of the polyp.
Small polyps scarcely or not at all limit the ability to conceive. If a small polyp is detected during an ultrasound scan, it is best to wait. He often goes with the next menstrual period. However, even a small polyp can sit in an unfavorable place. For example, if the connection between the fallopian tube and the uterus is blocked by a polyp, this tissue proliferation prevents the sperm and ovum from hitting each other or the ovum from migrating into the uterus. A polyp that sits on the cervix (cervical polyp) can also be a reason for unwanted childlessness, because then the sperm is blocked the way into the uterus.
If there is an unfulfilled desire to have a baby, it can actually be caused by polyps: they can prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. In this case, the polyp should be removed. With its removal, the chances of getting pregnant increase significantly.
Studies have shown that even women who are one artificial insemination Undergo (IVF therapy), benefit from the removal of the uterine polyps. The probability of becoming pregnant is then twice as high. After removal of a polyp using a curettage (Curettage) sets the menstrual period after four to eight weeks again. This is the possibility of pregnancy. However, even if a scar is a minor surgical procedure, the patient should abstain from sexual intercourse for two to three weeks. It is advisable to give the body and the endometrium time to recover from the operation. During intercourse, contraceptives should therefore be used during the first two to three months after the procedure. Then nothing stands in the way of a pregnancy.
3. Can uterine polyps cause pain?
Polyps of the uterus are common. In ten percent of the wombs that are removed, polyps are found, even without their being noticed. They usually occur singly, in about twenty percent of the cases in formation (multiple polyps). Polyps are either on the uterine wall, or they are sitting on a stalk. Most Cervical polyps remain undetected because they do not cause any symptoms. In most cases, patients do not experience any pain.
However, some polyps may cause various sensations due to their location or size. In addition to irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding, pain during intercourse may be an indication of polyps in the uterus.
Rarely, sudden, colicky pain can occur. These are due to the stem rotation of a polyp. Violent abdominal pain, such as may occur in such an event, requires a specialist medical examination. The causes can be many.
4. What non-surgical methods are available for removing the uterine polyps?
Polyps of the uterus or of the cervix are due to hormonal changes. The uterine lining tends to exaggerate activity under the influence of high estrogen. These tissue growths give rise to polyps. The polyps are not permanent in all cases. The patient can first wait and see if a polyp will recede due to hormone fluctuations.
Homoeopathic remedies can be supportive or Schuessler salts are taken. It can take several weeks or months for the homeopathic remedies to take effect.
Important is the regular check of the findings. The polyp should be examined ultrasonically for changes every six months at the gynecologist. If he does not form back, he will be advised to remove it surgically. Only then can the patient eliminate the risk that the polyp degenerates. In addition, the polyp removal can pay off in an unfulfilled child wish. An operation (curettage or Scraping) is the only way to remove a polyp.
5. What symptoms indicate a uterine polyp?
In most cases have Cervical polyps only a diameter of a few millimeters and remain completely symptomless. Many women do not know that there is a polyp in their uterus. Frequently, the mucosal proliferations are discovered by chance in a routine ultrasound scan. But a small polyp sometimes has a big impact.
Particularly severe consequences can be had by a womb polyp in women who want to have children. If the polyp is in an unfavorable position, then it can prevent pregnancy. If he moves the transition between fallopian tube and uterus, then sperm can no longer get to the egg or the egg no longer in the uterine cavity. Also, the cervix may be impassable by a polyp for sperm. A polyp that sits inside the uterus can prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg. A polyp can thus be the cause, if a pregnancy does not come about. If the polyp is removed with the aid of a scraping, the desire to have a baby can be fulfilled.
It is more common for the patient to complain about an irregular menstrual cycle and to alternate periods of heavy and weak menstrual bleeding. Bleeding and spotting may also be an indication that a polyp has formed in the uterus. Pain rarely occurs in association with polyps. Only when a polyp grows up - which is rather the exception - it can cause pain during intercourse. Then it can come after the sex through the mechanical irritation also to slight bleeding or vaginal discharge. Bleeding after the menopause (after the last menstrual period) are often an indication that a uterine polyp has developed.
Women with these symptoms should undergo an ultrasound scan to determine if uterine polyps are present. For changes in the cycle, when the menstrual bleeding is associated with unusual pain or becomes more severe, the gynecologist should always be consulted.
6. What causes lead to recurrent uterine polyps?
Polyps are caused by increased cell division activity of the endometrium. Through these cell proliferation of the mucous membrane thickening and tumors form on the uterine wall or on the cervix (cervical polyp). Polyps can arise in a short time. Once a polyp has been diagnosed, there is a high probability that new polyps will form again after the removal.
Most are Cervical polyps harmless and remain without symptoms, so that many women know nothing about their existence. In addition, small polyps often go unnoticed with the next menstrual period. However, there are polyps that are several inches tall and then trigger pain or bleeding and must be removed.
Why some women are particularly prone to this proliferation of the mucous membrane is medically not yet clear. It can be assumed that a relative overweight of estrogen in comparison to progesterone is responsible for the development of polyps. This explains, among other things, why the increased formation of polyps in the phase around the Menopause, when the woman's body is in a hormonal change, is observed. Before the age of 30, polyps are very rare.
Statistically, uterine polyps are more commonly diagnosed in women who have had multiple children. Inflammation of the vagina or uterus can also promote the development of polyps. Women who are due to breast cancer undergo treatment with tamoxifen must expect the development of uterine polyps. Stress or reduced immune defense can also promote the formation of polyps.
There are no prophylactic measures to prevent the development of uterine polyps. Balanced diet, adequate exercise and the reduction of obesity, however, strengthen the immune system and have a positive effect on overall health.
7. How does a scraping of uterine polyps work?
The way polyps are removed depends on their location and size. If the polyp is located in the cervix on a pedicle, the gynecologist can use a pair of pliers to turn it off. This is usually not even an anesthetic necessary.
Often, however, the polyps sit deeper and firmer on the wall of the uterus. Then they will be at one curettage (Curettage) removed. This is often combined with a hysteroscopy to exclude abnormal changes in the uterus.
Scaling is a routine procedure that is not performed just to remove polyps. Even after miscarriages, abortions and the removal of fibroids a scoring is made. Often, it is also a purely diagnostic tool to find out what causes hide behind irregular bleeding or severe menstrual pain.
Scoring is performed on the gynecological chair, requires general anesthesia and lasts ten to fifteen minutes. It can be done in an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. The patient should not eat or drink six hours before the ripening.
With a so-called curette, a long metal instrument, which is bent at the end to a loop, the scraping takes place. The cervix is gently distended and the uterine lining with the polyp is removed with the curette. At the same time tissue samples can be taken, which are then sent to the laboratory for examination.
If everything happens without complications, the patient can be discharged home the same day. Due to the after effects of anesthesia, driving is prohibited. The patient should be picked up if possible or take a taxi and refrain from public transport. The next day she can resume her work.
Slight pain and bleeding, similar to menstrual cramps, are normal following a scraping. Sudden onset of pain, heavy bleeding or fever can be signs of infection and promptly require a doctor's visit.
Sexual intercourse should be avoided for a fortnight as well as swimming, swimming and sauna. Also, no tampons should be used in the first two weeks. Heavy lifting and carrying is also not recommended. Patients who want to have children should give their bodies four to six weeks to recover before returning to family planning.
8. How can uterine polyps cause problems during pregnancy or childbirth?
Existing Cervical polyps should be observed by the gynecologist and before the pregnancy be removed. To remove the polyp a scarf (curettage) is performed. For a planned pregnancy, this minor surgical procedure should be considered before the couple refrains from contraception. The patient has to calculate that the body needs two to three months to recover from the scraping. Only then should the fertilization occur.
The development of polyps in pregnancy is common and may be related to increased estrogen levels. If there is already a pregnancy, if the polyp is detected, the polyp must not be removed. At a distance, the risk of infection or even one would be miscarriage too high. Also one hysteroscopy must not be performed during pregnancy.
The polyp can bleed repeatedly during pregnancy. These bleeding are harmless. Nevertheless, bleeding during pregnancy must always be taken seriously. The gynecologist has to clarify whether it is really due to polyp-induced bleeding. If this is the case, the patient is advised to rest. Sexual intercourse should be avoided.
Pregnant women with a uterine polyp are advised to give birth in a clinic because complications such as rebleeding can not be ruled out. Existing polyps also increase the risk of miscarriage.
In some cases, the polyp goes with the birth with off. If this is not the case, the polyp must be surgically removed. This procedure should be performed at the earliest six weeks after delivery.
9. Why should womb polyps be better removed?
Cervical polyps are harmless in most cases and do not cause discomfort. Nevertheless, doctors usually advise you to have them removed.
Uterine polyps arise from a proliferation of the endometrium. The overactivity of the mucosa is related to the hormone level of the woman. If the level of estrogen is particularly high, polyps can develop. With the normal drop in estrogen levels over the course of the cycle, the polyps may disappear by themselves.
Will be at a ultrasound If a polyp is discovered that otherwise causes no complaints, no immediate action is required. The polyp does not have to be removed immediately. He should be checked regularly. If it persists or changes, it should be removed. The likelihood that a polyp will change into cancer is low. Only about one in a hundred polyps is malignant. Cervical polyps, which are polyps that sit on the cervix, are even less likely to degenerate.
But even if the risk is low - it exists. If in doubt, the patient should get a second opinion from a gynecologist.
If polyps cause discomfort, it is advisable to remove them. Polyps can disturb the female cycle and sometimes cause very heavy bleeding. Blood loss can lead to anemia. This so-called anemia While not dangerous, fatigue, dizziness, and low stress can limit the patient's quality of life.
Polyps have to be removed in women who want to have children because the polyps are often the cause of why pregnancy does not come about. Depending on where it is located, the polyp can prevent the sperm and the egg from meeting, or a fertilized egg from nesting. In addition, polyps increase the risk of premature birth or miscarriage.
Polyps are usually engulfed in a curettage lasting only a few minutes (scraping) general anesthesia ablated. Samples of the removed tissue are then examined in the laboratory to rule out that it is uterine cancer.
In front of the women menopause (last menstrual period) you will sooner or later remove a symptomless polyp for safety reasons. Only by removing the polyp surgically can you prevent it from degenerating.
In older patients, the risk of general anesthesia must always be included in the decision. Here, the pros and cons of an operation must be carefully weighed.
10. Which homeopathic methods are available for the treatment of uterine polyps?
If the gynecologist one Cervical polyps In most cases, you can wait and see. If the polyp is inconspicuous and does not cause discomfort, it is sufficient to contact him at the next routine check-up Ultrasonic to check again. Some polyps resolve themselves due to hormone fluctuations. But also the homeopathy can help to make a polyp smaller or completely disappear.
The use of homeopathic remedies should always be discussed with the gynecologist. In most cases, there is nothing that speaks against homeopathic treatment.
One of the most commonly used polyp control agents is Thuja occidentalis, an agent that is resistant to many types of growths or warts helps. Two granules of Thuja D12 are recommended two to three times a day. The remedy Sanguinaria canadensis regulates numerous disorders of the menstrual cycle (bleeding, heavy bleeding, irregular bleeding, etc.) and can also be taken against mucosal proliferation in the uterus (polyps).
In homeopathy, choosing the right remedy is the top priority. There are different constitutional types that respond to different means. A first orientation offers the Internet. But who wants to play it safe, should make an appointment with the homeopath. The probability that he will find the right remedy after a detailed first patient history is many times higher than when you try it yourself. Contrary to popular belief, homeopathic remedies are not harmless either. Also, they can cause side effects and should not be consumed carefree.
A therapy with Schuessler salts may also be helpful against uterine polyps. There are no. 10 (Natrium sulfuricum D6) and no. 22 (Calcium carbonicum D6) are used. Of these, two tablets No. 10 and two tablets No. 22 are taken in turn four times a day.
In the context of polyps, it is recommended to reduce animal fat and protein and reduce possible overweight.
In the homeopathic treatment of a uterine polyp patience is required. Even if the right remedy is found, it takes several weeks to months for the mucous membrane to recede.
11. What is the probability that uterine polyps are cancerous?
Polyps in the uterus (uterine polypi) and on the cervix (cervical polyps) are a common feature. They form through changes in the uterine lining. Every tenth woman is affected. Polyps are benign in most cases. Several studies conclude that only 0.8 to a maximum of 3.3 percent of diagnosed polyps are malignant. Most of the malignant polyps are found in older postmenopausal women (after the last menstrual period), in women with severe overweight or diabetes detected.
Polyps rarely cause discomfort and are included in routine checkups Ultrasonic often discovered by accident. If a polyp has been detected, the gynecologist should check regularly if it changes. Even if most polyps are harmless, doctors suggest that sooner or later they will be removed. With the ultrasound can not be determined whether a polyp is good or malignant. Only the laboratory examination of a tissue sample (biopsy) can rule out that cancer cells are present.
The distance from Cervical polyps done with a Curettage (curettage) - a low-complication routine procedure that is performed under anesthesia is carried out. The patient can often be discharged home the same day.The scraping is usually with a hysteroscopy (Hysteroscopy) combined. In this endoscopic examination, the doctor can examine the cervix and uterine cavity from the inside and thus perceive the slightest changes.
A polyp must be removed in any case, if there is a desire for children, since the mucosal proliferation prevent conception and complications in the pregnancy can lead. Although the polyps cause discomfort due to their location or size, it is a good idea to remove them soon.
In women who are once diagnosed with polyps, there is a high probability that new polyps will eventually form again after removal. Regular monitoring with ultrasound is therefore recommended.
12. How are uterine polyps different from fibroids?
Polyps and fibroids Both occur in the uterus (uterus), but differ in their substance. Uterine polyps consist of the tissue of the uterine lining, fibroids consist of muscle tissue and grow in the muscular layer of the uterus.
Both fibroids and polyps are common in the uterus. However, fibroids are already diagnosed in women around the age of 35, while polyps usually increase in frequency only during menopause.
Usually neither fibroids nor polyps cause discomfort. In contrast to polyps, fibroids can become relatively large and then, due to their expansion, press on other organs and impair their function. Therefore, fibroids can sometimes be palpated during gynecological examination. Although there are also small fibroids, but fist-sized or even larger fibroids are not uncommon. In contrast, uterine polyps measure just a few centimeters and are on average the size of a pea. They are therefore mostly during one ultrasound or one Uterine mirroring (hysteroscopy) discovered.
If fibroids or polyps are diagnosed, there is no acute need for action. Your growth process must be monitored at intervals. While polyps sometimes spontaneously regress or go off with the next menstrual period, fibroids are not. Fibroids can become smaller with the menopausal hormone change .
If there is a desire to have children or physical complaints, myomas and polyps are removed. Stem polyps can be turned off at an easily accessible place with a so-called grain tongs. Otherwise, a scraping must be carried out, in which the polyp is removed. Fibroids can, depending on their location and size through the vagina or through surgery to laparoscopy are removed (laparoscopy).
Unlike polyps, it is possible to remove fibroids without surgery. On the one hand, one can dissolve fibroids by hormonal therapy with medication. On the other hand there is the possibility of therapy with focused ultrasound. Here, an ultrasonic pulse is precisely the fibroid directed and myoma tissue destroyed by heat. Neither anesthesia nor a skin incision is necessary for this.
The symptoms may give the doctor first indications of whether it is a polyp or a fibroid. The symptoms are different. Cervical polyps are often the cause of irregular menstrual bleeding that varies in duration and severity. In addition there are inter-bleedings or spotting. If bleeding occurs after the menopause (the end of the last rule), polyps are usually the cause. And behind an unfulfilled wish for a child are often hiding polyps that preventfertilization .
In fibroids, the symptoms associated with pain predominate . This can be pelvic pain or back pain, or a feeling of pressure on the bowel or bladder. Also, pain during sex or pain in the legs may indicate a uterine myoma.
More precise results are provided by a womb mirroring. It can happen that polyps and fibroids populate the uterus at the same time.
Fibroids and polyps are usually harmless and benign. Nevertheless, they have to be checked regularly. If in doubt, they should be removed and examined histologically (fine tissue). Only then can it be ruled out that a fibroid or a polyp degenerates.