If you are experiencing pain from uterine fibroids, it is important that you seek treatment for uterine fibroids. Though no treatment is a guarantee of success, your doctor may have suggestions to help. These recommendations are not intended to replace professional medical care but are meant to furnish you with additional information about uterine fibroids and possibly help you make a more informed decision. Uterine Fibroids can be very painful and in some cases they may interfere with pregnancy. So if you are experiencing pain during pregnancy, see your doctor right away to find out the best course of treatment.
Many women with uterine fibroids are treated using conventional medications that include drugs and hormonal therapy or surgical removal of the fibroid. A variety of tumors, both malignant and benign, can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, cramping and/or heavy bleeding, so you may have uterine fibroids and another underlying medical condition that might actually be the cause of your symptoms. In many instances an ultrasound of your uterine cavity will show the location and size of your fibroid, as well as give your doctor the information they need to determine the cause of your symptoms. If your doctor determines that fibroids are in fact the culprit then one of several treatment options will be available.
One of several treatment options involves “watchful waiting”. This means simply continuing to take regular medications to keep your uterus healthy, avoiding stressful factors such as heavy menstruation and maintaining weight loss. Another treatment option involves “selective estrogen receptor modulators” or SERMs, which are FDA-approved medications that are intended to reduce the activity of estrogen within the uterus, thus potentially shrinking fibroids.
In addition to hormonal treatment, some doctors may choose to perform “urogenic amniocentesis” or UAE, which involves sampling a small amount of fluid from around the inside of the uterus in order to determine if hormonal imbalances or other causes of fibroids are the cause of your symptoms. Urine from the UAE can also be tested for blood cells, which can provide further insight into your fibroid situation. Treatment options may include surgical removal of fibroids if the doctors believe that doing so will shrink them. Treatment also may include surgical resection of scar tissue that occurs as a result of fibroid growth, which also reduces the size of your uterine fibroid.
Some treatment options focus on achieving symptomatic relief by removing the symptoms that are most intense. For example, the treatment for uterine fibroids that involves reducing symptoms may include the use of birth control pills to regulate menstrual cycles and increase estrogen levels in the body. This method has been shown to improve pain and other symptoms by as much as sixty percent over four to six months of treatment. Other treatments for uterine fibroids focus on reducing the size of your fibroid. These options can include removing or changing your diet to increase the amount of estrogen your body receives, having your doctor inject your skin with estrogen-like compounds, or taking estrogen alone.
If your medical care professional decides that you do not need a procedure such as myomectomy or hysterectomy, there are still treatment options available to you. Your healthcare provider may decide that your symptoms can be treated with a Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) treatment. If you have tried all other forms of treatment and your healthcare professional has determined that you simply do not benefit from hormonal treatments, your healthcare provider may recommend that you undergo a hysterectomy. Myomectomy, however, is usually only recommended when hysterectomy becomes the only viable option because of your fibroid’s size or your health risks associated with it.
ECCO Medical is a medical practice that treats uterine fibroids.
