Treatment for Uterine Fibroids

In general uterine fibroids rarely require any treatment options but there are still some women who will require some sort of treatment to get rid of fibroid tumors that may be causing problems with their body. Uterine fibroids are benign growths that often form in women who are of childbearing age. Most women do not even know that they have a fibroid tumor at any given time.

Most uterine fibroids will not cause any symptoms and are not dangerous to the health of a woman. This means that most doctors will not offer any treatment options unless the woman starts suffering from pain, problems with her menstrual cycle or if the fibroid is preventing the woman from being able to conceive. There are a few different uterine fibroid treatment options that are available.

Once a uterine fibroid has been diagnosed there one of the treatment options that a woman has available is medication. Medication can help shrink a fibroid but will not get rid of it completely. These medications work to regulate the hormones that affect a woman's menstrual cycle to help prevent heavy and long bleeding from the fibroid tumors.

One type of medication that is often prescribed for women who have uterine fibroids and are having problems with their menstrual cycle is called Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonists. When Gn-RH is manufactured by the hypothalamus it triggers the woman's body into producing estrogen and progesterone so that an egg can be released from the ovaries and the menstrual cycle can start. Gn-RH agonists work the opposite of Gn-RH. They will actually stop menstruation in a woman and will help to shrink the fibroids in the uterus as the estrogen and progesterone levels drop off.

Another type of medication that is given for treatment of uterine fibroids is called androgens. Androgen is often called the "male hormone' and when prescribed to women who suffer from fibroid tumors it often helps to shrink the tumors and rid any symptoms of the uterine fibroids. The most popular androgen that is prescribed is called Danazol, which is a synthetic testosterone drug. It will stop menstruation in the woman and also help to shrink the fibroids and the uterus back to normal size. Some women will experience side effects from this medication such as weight gain, a deeper voice, acne, and depression.

There are also medical procedures that are also treatment options for uterine fibroids. One of these procedures is called myolysis. This is a laparoscopic procedure in which a laser destroys the fibroid tumor as well as shrinks the blood vessels which feed the tumor. Cryomyolysis is basically the same procedure but uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the fibroid to kill it.

Another treatment option for uterine fibroids is uterine artery embolization. This medical procedure has been proven effective for shrinking fibroids and ridding the woman of the symptoms that come along with the tumors. With this procedure small particles are injected into the arteries in the uterus to cut off the blood supply to the fibroids. With no adequate blood supply the tumor will shrink and die. This involves no surgery and the recovery time is much shorter for this procedure.

If uterine fibroids are severe or are life-threatening, a doctor may order that a hysterectomy or a myomectomy be done. A hysterectomy is an extreme measure where the uterus is removed from the woman's body. A myomectomy is where surgery is done to remove the fibroids but the uterus is kept in place. There are a few different ways that a myomectomy can be done. It is best to talk to your doctor to see which procedure he recommends in this case.

Most of the time the best treatment for uterine fibroids is the waiting game. Most doctors will leave the fibroid tumors alone if they are not bothersome and are not causing any symptoms for the woman. Most women can still conceive with a fibroid tumor and will find that it shrinks as they get older.

The best treatment for uterine fibroids is one that you and your doctor agree upon that is best for you.

Source: http://women.webmd.com/uterine-fibroids/uterine-fibroids-treatment-overview