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Fibroid Tumor Cures

Fibroid tumors are benign growths that appear in the uterus, usually during a woman's childbearing years. According to the Mayo Clinic, three out of four women will develop fibroids at some point in their lifetime. Most often, fibroids cause no symptoms and require no care. However, if fibroids grow really large, they can cause discomfort and your doctor may recommend treatment.

  1. Medication

    • There are various options available to treat fibroids, and one choice is medication that works to shrink the tumors. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonists work by targeting hormones that help stimulate the ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone. These medications slow the production of estrogen and progesterone, working to shrink fibroids. Another option is injections of androgens or Danazol, a drug that acts like testosterone. These injections stop menstruation and shrink fibroids. However, they come with unwanted side effects such as a deepening of the voice and hair growth. Your doctor may also advocate the implantation of a progestin-releasing intrauterine device (IUD). This device works to counter symptoms such as heavy bleeding or pain brought on fibroids, but does nothing to shrink the tumors.

    Surgery

    • The only permanent solution for fibroids is a hysterectomy, an operation that completely removes the uterus. Even though fibroids can be removed surgically, they often reoccur. Most women will not opt for a hysterectomy since they will be unable to bear children after this major operation. If you decide to just have the fibroids removed--a procedure called myomectomy--there are several ways the surgery can be performed. If you have many fibroids or if they are particularly deep in the uterus, your doctor may decide to open your abdomen to remove them. A less invasive procedure, laparoscopic procedure, is used for smaller fibroids. Through small slits in the abdomen, your doctor will use slender instruments to monitor and remove the fibroids.

    Other Therapies

    • In a procedure called myolysis, a surgeon will use electrical currents through a laparoscopic incision to break up the fibroids and the blood vessels that feed blood to it. Another procedure, endometrial ablation, use a special instrument that is placed into the uterus and uses microwaves and heat to slow down menstrual bleeding. This treatment is not effective for fibroids outside the lining of the uterus. Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) is another treatment where your doctor will inject small particles into the arteries that feed the fibroids, cutting off the blood supply and eventually leading to shrinkage. This technique is becoming more popular since it is non-invasive. One potential side effect is compromising the blood supply to other organs.

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