Fibroids are noncancerous tumors that grow in and around the uterus. The growths can be small and asymptomatic or can become quite large and cause pain, bleeding and impaired fertility. Fibroids that affect your health should be treated; the first attempt at managing fibroids is reducing their size.
Step 1
Schedule regular yearly appointments with your gynecologist to keep an eye on your fibroids, but hold off on invasive treatment. This treatment method is called watchful waiting and means you watch the problem and treat symptoms as needed. The National Uterine Fibroid Foundation states that many fibroids reduce in size on their own as you enter menopause. You and your doctor should discuss the pros and cons of watchful waiting, based on your age and your childbearing plans.
Step 2
Undergo hormone therapy to shrink uterine fibroids. The National Institutes of Health explains that hormone injections of Depo Leuprolide or GnRH agonists can decrease the size of fibroids. Due to side effects like hot flashes and vaginal dryness, the treatment is used on a short-term basis and usually in women who will be entering into menopause soon.
Step 3
Reduce the size of subserosal fibroids--those that form under the outside lining of the uterus--with a procedure called myolysis. Myolyis is a laparascopic surgery in which an electric current is delivered to a fibroid to cut off its blood supply. Over time, fibroids that are treated with myolysis reduce greatly in size.
Step 4
Shrink fibroids with a non-surgical option called uterine fibroid embolization, or UFE. The embolization process stops the blood flow to the fibroids by blocking the involved blood vessels with either gelatin or plastic matter. Fibroids reduce in size and die off almost immediately during UFE. The NIH explains this treatment option is not recommended for women who want to become pregnant, due to the risk of injury to arteries in the uterus.
Step 5
Choose surgical removal of uterine fibroids if reduction strategies are not effective. Myomectomy removes only the fibroids within the uterus and preserves the uterus for future pregnancy possibilities. Hysterectomy to remove the uterus along with the fibroids might become necessary for some women who continue to experience heavy bleeding and high levels of pain.
Tips and Warnings
- Treatment for fibroids also can be geared toward reducing the heavy bleeding and pelvic cramping often associated with the condition. Women who are not actively trying to become pregnant might choose to use hormone-based birth control such as oral contraceptives or an IUD to manage the bleeding and pain. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen also might serve as a pain management tool for uterine fibroids.
