What is the difference between fibroids and cysts

Fibroids and cysts are two diseases. Take uterine fibroids and uterine cysts as examples. Both are relatively serious gynecological diseases. Uterine cyst is a benign disease, but it can also cause a large amount of secretions in the body, which can have a phagocytic effect on sperm and hinder conception. The occurrence of both diseases requires timely treatment and relevant nursing work.

1. Are uterine fibroids and uterine cysts the same thing?

Uterine fibroids and uterine cysts are both serious gynecological diseases, but they are two different diseases. Uterine fibroids are the most common tumor of the female reproductive system. The cause of the disease is still unclear. If not treated in time, it can lead to female infertility, miscarriage, frequent urination, urination disorders and other hazards. It is a major killer of women's health.

The cause of uterine cysts is similar to that of "acne" on the face. During the healing process of cervical erosion, the newly formed squamous epithelium covers the opening of the cervical gland duct or extends into the gland duct, blocking the opening of the gland duct; the connective tissue around the gland duct proliferates or scars form, compressing the gland duct, causing the gland duct to narrow or even block, and the drainage of glandular secretions is blocked. The cyst formed by retention is called cervical nabothian cyst.

2. What is the difference between uterine fibroids and uterine cysts?

Cyst is a benign disease that can grow on the surface of the human body or in the internal organs. A cyst is a benign sac-like mass that grows in an organ in the body and its contents are liquid. The cysts are mostly round in shape and protrude semicircularly from the skin surface. It is usually located in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Because it is wrapped by the cyst wall, the edges are smooth and neat, and there is little adhesion to the surrounding tissues. Therefore, it feels smooth, elastic and cystic. The surface skin is mostly free of inflammation and has normal skin color. Generally, the development is limited and localized and will not expand indefinitely to cause local compression symptoms.

In chronic cervicitis, the cervical glands and surrounding tissues proliferate. When the gland duct is squeezed by the surrounding tissue and the gland opening is blocked, the secretions in the gland cannot flow out and are retained inside, causing the gland cavity to expand and form cystic tumors of varying sizes, which are called "cervical gland retention cysts" or Nabot's cysts. The mucus it contains is often clear and transparent, but may become turbid and purulent due to concurrent infection. The cysts are generally small and scattered and may protrude from the surface of the cervix.

Uterine fibroids can be divided into subserosal fibroids, intramural fibroids, submucosal fibroids or cervical fibroids, broad ligament fibroids, etc. according to the different locations of their growth. Different types of uterine fibroids may show clinical manifestations such as menorrhagia, lower abdominal mass, or difficulty urinating or defecation. Uterine cyst is the most common benign tumor of the female genitalia. Most of them are asymptomatic. A few of them may present with vaginal bleeding, abdominal mass and compression symptoms. The exact cause of the disease is unknown. Modern Western medicine uses sex hormones or surgery for treatment, and there is no other ideal treatment.

3. What are the hazards of uterine fibroids and uterine cysts?

3.1. Harms of uterine fibroids

There are many risk factors that contribute to the development or growth of uterine fibroids. Factors that increase the risk of uterine fibroids include: maternal use of estrogen during pregnancy, young age at menarche, nulliparity, late childbearing, obesity, African Americans, and tamoxifen. Factors that reduce the risk of uterine fibroids include exercise, multiple births, menopause, and oral contraceptives.

Modern medicine believes that uterine fibroids are hormone-dependent tumors. Uterine fibroids are common during the childbearing years, are rare before puberty, and shrink or disappear after menopause. Studies have shown that estrogen and progesterone synergistically promote the growth of fibroids. The main mechanism may be that estrogen in the follicular phase upregulates the estrogen and progesterone receptors on the uterine smooth muscle, and then progesterone promotes the mitotic activity of the fibroids in the luteal phase, thereby stimulating the growth of the fibroids.

3.2. Harms of uterine cysts

A large amount of secretions will be produced in the patient's body. The white blood cells in the secretions will engulf sperm, reducing the number of sperm, greatly reducing the number and vitality of sperm, making it impossible for the egg to combine normally with the sperm to form a fertilized egg, leading to infertility.

The cervical tissue repeatedly becomes congested and edematous, and inflammatory cells infiltrate and proliferate the connective tissue, causing cervical hypertrophy. In severe cases, the cervix can increase by more than 1 times compared to a normal cervix. Severe inflammation can lead to menstrual abnormalities or even infertility.

How to treat uterine fibroids and uterine cysts

Ovarian cysts may not have any symptoms in the early stages and are only discovered during routine gynecological examinations or imaging tests. They may also be caused by the patient's symptoms, such as abdominal distension, abdominal pain, dyspnea, or even by touching the abdominal mass when seeking medical attention. Fortunately, most ovarian cysts are either physiological cysts or benign ovarian tumors.

The earlier ovarian tumors are treated, the better the results. For women of childbearing age, if the cyst is less than 6 cm in diameter and there are no symptoms, there is no need for too aggressive treatment. All the patient needs to do is find a doctor for regular check-ups. You can also use traditional Chinese medicine for conservative treatment, and this experience is very mature. If there is no stenosis or ovarian cysts, on the contrary, they increase (greater than 6 cm in diameter) through follow-up, and prepubertal girls and postmenopausal women have cysts, the possibility of malignant ovarian tumors should be suspected, and usually rely on further auxiliary examinations and even operations for diagnosis and treatment.

How to prevent uterine fibroids and uterine cysts

1. Women during menstruation and after childbirth should pay special attention to nutrition and strictly refrain from sexual intercourse.

2. Keep the vulva and vagina clean, feel happy and stable, try to reduce various competitive pressures in life, avoid worrying and getting angry, and learn to self-regulate.

3. Keep warm, avoid catching cold, wading in the rain, or taking cold showers, swimming, etc., and balance work and rest.

4. The diet should be nutritious, light and easy to digest. Avoid eating raw, cold and irritating foods to keep the body's positive energy sufficient, blood flowing smoothly, and the body and mind healthy.

5. Regular screening can often detect ovarian tumors in a timely manner. Once the diagnosis is clear, surgery should be performed as soon as possible. Malignant ovarian tumors should be treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

6. Follow-up observation: Cysts with a diameter of less than 5 cm may be non-neoplastic cysts. Most of them will disappear on their own, but regular follow-up is necessary. If they increase in size, surgery should be performed immediately.