Uterine Fibroids are tumor like growths that arise from the cells that form the muscle of the uterus.
Also known as myoma of the uterus, fibroids can grow on the uterine wall, and push out into the bladder, or the bowel, or the intestine.
Fibroids can vary in size, from the size of a pea to the size of a football, and are most probably benign, posing very little risk of cancer.
Experts differ on what are the exact reasons why uterine fibroids grow in women, but they all agree that changes in oestrogen levels may be the main cause, and that when oestrogen levels are high due to reasons like taking hormone pills, the rate of fibroid growth will increase.
These are some of the symptoms of fibroids, found in women of the reproductive age groups: painful periods, prolonged bleeding, pelvic pain, back pain and so on.
How can fibroids be treated? Remember; most fibroids do not need to be treated at all, and when a woman nears her menopause, the symptoms disappear as the fibroid shrinks by itself.
However, if there is excessive bleeding or pain, or if the fibroid appears to be growing too quickly, or if the woman wishes to have children, the physician will make a decision on the mode of treatment for the fibroid.
On the other hand, if the woman is closer to forty than thirty or twenty, the physician may decide not to treat the fibroid at all, and leave it to simply disappear on its own.
There are several alterative methods to treat fibroids as well:
- Taking well prepared herbal concoctions, which have been proved to be some of the best remedies for treating fibroids: Spica Prunellae, Concha Ostreae, Rhizoma Sparganii, Herba Dendrobii, Semen Litchi, Rhizoma Zedoariae, Rhizoma Cyperi, Sargassum, and Fructus Corni are some of the recommended herbs that can be used as an alternative method to treat fibroids.
- Try to maintain a very healthy diet, with plenty of green vegetables, especially the more bitter ones like endives.
- You need to support your liver if you have a fibroid, because if the liver is not working well, then it can mean that the estrogen will stay in your system longer than it actually should. Therefore, you can start to take liver-supporting herbs like lemon juice, dandelion root, milk thistle, burdock, artichoke and turmeric as a regular part of your daily diet.
- Some doctors recommend using natural progesterone cream, to be applied on the days 12 to 26 of the menstrual cycle.
- Hydrotherapy also works wonders to soothe away the pain and other symptoms associated with a fibroid.
Never rush into any treatment; take your time, think about it, and then arrive at a decision.
