The Relationship between Uterine Fibroids and Breasts

The Relationship between Uterine Fibroids and Breasts Uterine fibroids are simply overgrowths of cells on the uterine wall.  Fibrocystic breasts are breasts that develop lumpy, thick nodules.  While both of these conditions hit women primarily in their pre-menopausal years, they are not related in the sense that one causes the other.  Just because you might get one of them does not mean you will get the other one.

Both conditions are associated, at times, with an overabundance of estrogen and/or progesterone because both usually strike in the “high-estrogen” years of a woman’s life. These are usually the years preceding the onset of menopause.  The uterus and the breasts both share common hormones because the hormones which prepare the breasts to secrete milk (during pregnancy) are the same as the ones that promote cell growth in the uterus.  However, the two conditions, fibroids and fibrocystic breasts, have not been found to be related.

Fibroid Tumors
Fibroids are present in a large percentage of women and range in size from tiny (pinpoint) to huge (as big as a full-term pregnancy).  Most women do not have any major symptoms with small fibroids but, if they should grow large, they can cause a number of problems, such as heavy menstrual periods, back pain, cramps, and bladder pressure.  Fibroids start shrinking after menopause but if they grow large enough to cause problems, they are usually removed by having either a surgical hysterectomy or myomectomy.  Hysterectomies involve removing the uterus while myomectomies take just the fibroid tumor itself.

Fibrocystic Breasts
Fibrocystic breasts, too, commonly affect women at some point in their lives.  The severity of the condition varies from woman to woman.  Some experience very little pain and some experience a great deal of pain.  Sometimes they only cause problems during the pre-menstrual period right before a woman’s cycle.  Women who have more serious cases have many lumps and nodules in their breasts.  Surgery is usually not necessary for fibrocystic breasts although it can be utilized in some cases.  In most instances, doctors will prescribe pain relief medications or anti-inflammatories to help women deal with the pain associated with fibrocystic breasts.  Once menopause sets in, fibrocystic breasts usually improve.

Some women find that cutting caffeine from their diets helps to relieve the symptoms of fibrocystic breasts.  Others have found relief by using Vitamin E.  Evening primrose oil has been used by some women with success.

Soy has been used by some women to help correct problems with fibroids.  Other methods that have seen some success are acupuncture and weight loss.

Neither condition is a death sentence and neither one leads to cancer except in a small number of cases.  If you have one of these conditions, please see your physician to determine the best treatment for your situation.

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