A fibroid is the most common type of pelvic tumor in women between the ages of 35 and 45 years. Though fibroids commonly form as multiple tumors, sometimes a fibroid can be a single mass.
If you, or someone you care about, has been diagnosed with fibroids, you’re probably looking at medication to ease the pain, treatment or even surgery as a cure. Many women will choose to watch and wait to see if their fibroids grow larger before deciding a path for treatment.
Most fibroids grow very slowly, making the watch and wait method a valid method of postponing treatment or surgery. Following menopause, most fibroids will decrease in size by about 35 per cent without the use of expensive treatments.
Medications
Unfortunately there is no medication currently available to prevent the formation of fibroids or to permanently shrink them once they’ve formed. There are a few medications that can temporarily shut off the ability for the ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone, which make fibroids grow larger. These medications can have adverse side effects and can take up to three months to work. Other medications like ibuprofen and other mild pain relievers are used to control mild to moderate pain related to fibroids.
Some side effects of these medications include heavy bleeding, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, headaches, muscle or joint pain, fluid retention, mood swings, trouble sleeping, depression and sexual side effects. Some medications can also cause significant bone loss.
These medications are intended for short term use and should not be used for more than six months. The use of these medications should be closely monitored by a physician or gynecologist.
Sometimes if a woman is approaching menopause, a doctor will recommend these medications to hasten the effect of menopause. Since the medications cause the body to stop producing estrogen, the fibroids will shrink, making surgery obsolete when menopause occurs.
Surgery
Some women choose surgery to rid themselves of fibroids. Often, a surgeon will recommend the use of medication to reduce the size of the fibroids so they can possibly perform the hysterectomy through a vaginal incision instead of an abdominal one.
Other Options
Fortunately, there are other options available; options that don’t include expensive medications, treatments and invasive surgeries. Some of the more natural cures are readily available at your local supermarket and start to work almost immediately. In some cases, simple dietary changes can help reduce the size of fibroids and start your body’s natural healing process to rid yourself of fibroids once and for all. Eventually you can be totally fibroid free and learn to stay that way by changing your eating habits.
Studies have also found a Chinese herbal remedy that showed improvement of symptoms in up to 95 per cent of patients.
Some of these traditional, herbal and dietary remedies can reduce the size of the fibroids or even make them disappear entirely. Continued use and precautionary measures can ensure you never have to deal with fibroids again.
Always work in conjunction with your doctor. If you choose one of the natural remedy options, be sure to communicate with your doctor and have regular checkups to ensure they are working as intended. Never self diagnose or self medicate, as this could lead to other health related problems.
