Choosing The Best Treatment For Fibroids

No treatment for fibroids is best for all women who have this problem. Every woman should discuss the treatment options with her doctor. The treatment that is best for any individual woman will depend on a variety of factors.

Are the fibroids causing problems?

Fibroids that are not causing problems may need no treatment at all. A woman should be checked by her doctor every few months to see if the fibroids are growing. If the fibroids begin to cause problems, it's time to consider treatment options.

What problems are the fibroids causing?

The best treatment choice may be different if fibroids are causing severe pain than if a woman's major problem is heavy bleeding. Treatment that shrinks fibroids (embolization, treatment with a GnRH agonist drug) often relieves pain. Heavy bleeding may be treated by combination therapy with a GnRH agonist and a low-dose hormone.

Do you want to have more children?

Fibroids in the uterus usually do not prevent a woman from becoming pregnant. However, a woman cannot become pregnant or carry a baby after having a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). A myomectomy preserves the uterus but may make it more difficult to become pregnant.

Do you want to avoid having major surgery?

A hysterectomy is major surgery, requiring two to five days in the hospital and about six weeks to recover fully. Some women-and some doctors-feel that a hysterectomy is undesirable for a problem such as fibroids that is not life-threatening. However, a myomectomy is also major surgery, requiring about the same length of time in the hospital and about the same recovery time as a hysterectomy. Women who want to avoid major surgery may wish to consult a doctor who has experience in one or more of the new procedures that in some cases offer alternatives to hysterectomy or myomectomy.

Are you close to menopause?

Fibroids shrink naturally after menopause when estrogen levels in the body decline. If a woman who is close to menopause has pain caused by fibroids, a doctor may prescribe GnRH agonists. Treatment with these drugs for a few months will shrink her fibroids, which should relieve her pain until the fibroids begin to shrink naturally after menopause.

Best Fibroid Treatment

As the nature of the tumor is benign at times the doctor suggests no treatment till these tumors don't pose any problems. Regular checkup is suggested by the doctor to record changes in the growth of fibroids present in uterus. The treatment is given once the growth becomes abnormal or causes discomfort. Often the treatment for fibroids is based on the person's requirement and age factor. The treatment for fibroid tumors that can be taken are broadly based on two categories first is Surgical and second is Medication or the person can opt for alternate treatments like herbal treatment fibroid tumors. Surgery is mostly suggested when the size is large and it is affecting the area around, the surgical procedure can be further divided into three types mainly:

Abdominal Myomectomy

Abdominal Myomectomy is an open surgery that is performed to remove the fibroids growing in the walls of the womb better known as Intramural fibroids. It can also remove Subserosal fibroids by the surgery. The cut is created on the abdomen to take the fibroids out and later the uterus and the womb is stitched. The surgery needs you to stay at the hospital for few days and take rest for some time as it causes weakness.atment doesn't affect your pregnancy in future but the loss of blood in the surgery could be one complication that might arise.

Laparoscopic Myomectomy

As the name suggest this treatment for removing fibroid tumors is done by making holes in the abdomen, the procedure is termed as Laparoscopic Myomectomy. This treatment is very effective if the person has few small fibroids. A laparoscope or telescope is inserted inside the womb and then instruments are used to remove fibroids. This procedure requires a skilled doctor. The recovery is fast in this treatment and the person leave the hospital in a day after the surgery. It is not a complicated procedure and does not affect fertility. Hysteroscopic Myomectomy It refers to removal of fibroids through the vagina. Hysteroscope or telescope is inserted into the womb through the vagina and cervix. A laser wire is inserted through it to remove the fibroids. Local anesthesia is generally given for this treatment and the person can go home the same day. The recovery period is less and it does not affect fertility.

Uterine Artery Embolisation

Popularly know as UAE this treatment refers to a procedure that blocks the blood supply of the fibroids that leads to shrinking of it. The procedure reduces the fibroids but does not remove it. A fine tube is put into left and right arteries by a radiologist and the dye is injected to locate arteries that supplies to fibroid and the substance is injected inside that blocks the supply of blood. This treatment can affect pregnancy and radiation exposure can cause complications or infection.

Hysterectomy

It is the most widely done surgery on females. It refers to complete removal of uterus and at times even the fallopian tubes and ovaries. The abdomen is cut to perform the surgery and the recovery period is longer. After this surgery the person cannot have children and therefore mostly post menopause females opt for this surgery. Early menopause is one of the side effects of the surgery and it can damage the bowel system.

Medication

Medication does not remove the fibroids though it is believed that some medications are used to treat fibroids. Most of these medications are based on hormonal qualities that can provide temporary relief in pain and discomfort caused by fibroids.GnRH analogues are used to treat fibroids as it reduces the oestrogen level in the body. It relieves from the pelvic pain and bleeding from periods. It is the most widely use medication for fibroid treatment.