Uterine Fibroids: A Non-Surgical Solution

Uterine fibroids are a common problem for women of childbearing age, often leading to heavy or irregular periods, pelvic pain or anemia.

Fibroids, which are common, noncancerous growths that form in the muscular tissue in the wall of the uterus, don’t always cause symptoms, but those that do may result in heavy menstrual bleeding and severe abdominal pain. These growths affect up to 80 percent of women by the time they’re 50 years old, according to the Office on Women’s Health.

Learn more about fibroid symptoms and treatment options for uterine fibroids.

Key Takeaways: Fibroids

• Fibroids are extremely common but often silent. Up to 80% of women experience fibroids by age 50, yet many women have no symptoms at all. When fibroid symptoms do appear, they can include heavy or painful periods, pelvic pain, bloating, frequent urination, and back pain.
• Treatment for fibroids doesn't have to mean hysterectomy. While hysterectomy was once the standard fix, options now include less invasive approaches like uterine fibroid embolization (which shrinks fibroids by cutting off their blood supply) and minimally invasive, robotic-assisted myomectomy (removing just the fibroids).
• Lifestyle changes can help manage or reduce fibroids. A healthy diet, regular exercise, limiting alcohol and caffeine, quitting smoking and managing stress may lower your risk.

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are muscular tumors, typically non-cancerous, that grow in the wall of the uterus (womb). Fibroids can grow as a single tumor, or there can be many of them in the uterus. They can be as small as an apple seed or as big as a grapefruit.

Uterine fibroids contain fibrous tissue that's similar to the normal tissue of the uterus. They usually grow along the uterine wall, but sometimes they protrude into the cavity of the uterus or grow outside it altogether. The hormones progesterone and estrogen stimulate their growth, which is usually slow, but can be very rapid. Since estrogen levels decline with age, fibroids usually affect women during their reproductive years and shrink after menopause. Depending on the number, size and location of the fibroids, pregnant women may experience localized pain or more serious complications, such as miscarriage or premature delivery.

Fibroids increase your risk for other health problems

Fibroids can cause reproductive problems, including infertility (though it is rare). They commonly increase your risk for complications during pregnancy and labor.

Who Is At Risk for Fibroids?

In the United States, an estimated 26 million women between the ages of 15 and 50 have uterine fibroids. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, fibroids can occur at any age but are most common in women ages 30 to 40 years.

Most women will develop one or more uterine fibroids during their reproductive lifespan.

Recent studies indicate that genetics may play a part. Women who have family histories of fibroid development are twice as likely to get them as those who don't. According to the Mayo Clinic, black women's chances of having the tumors, of having larger tumors, and having them at a younger age are greater than women of other racial groups.

What Are Symptoms Of Uterine Fibroids?

Most uterine fibroids do not cause any symptoms, but some women with fibroids can experience:

• Heavy bleeding (which can be heavy enough to cause anemia)
• Painful periods that may last longer than a week
• Feeling of fullness in the pelvic area (lower stomach area)
• Enlargement of the lower abdomen
• Frequent urination
• Pain during sex
• Lower back pain
• Constipation
• Complications during pregnancy and labor, including a six-time greater risk of Cesarean section
• Reproductive problems, such as infertility, which is very rare

How Are Uterine Fibroids Detected?

Uterine fibroids are usually found during a routine pelvic exam, in which your doctor feels your abdomen to see if there are any unusual growths. If your uterus seems lumpy or its shape is irregular, you may have fibroids. An ultrasound exam, which creates a visual image of the uterus, can confirm that you have fibroids and map them for you.

Don’t Wait – Get Care Now

If you think you may have uterine fibroids, schedule an appointment with your Franciscan Health gynecologist. A hysterectomy isn’t the only treatment option today. Less invasive, innovative treatment options are available; you don’t have to continue experiencing symptoms. We are here with proven treatments and relief.

While some women will turn to hysterectomies to remove their fibroids, other, less-invasive treatments are available.

How Are Uterine Fibroids Treated?

For many years, hysterectomy – surgically removing the uterus –  was the go-to solution for uterine fibroids, but that isn’t the case anymore.

“If you’re told you need a hysterectomy for your uterine fibroids, you shouldn’t be satisfied with that option,” said Franciscan Health interventional radiologist Saud Ahmed, MD. “A uterine fibroid embolization should be the first-line procedure because it’s minimally invasive with a fantastic success rate.”

Today, women have less invasive options for fibroid treatment. Franciscan Health women’s health specialists can also use uterine fibroid embolization to block the blood supply to the fibroid to make it shrink.

Uterine fibroid embolization

According to Dr. Ahmed, data shows 90 percent of women have improved symptoms following a uterine fibroid embolization.

A uterine fibroid embolization is accomplished by inserting a catheter through a tiny, quarter-inch nick in the wrist or groin to gain access to the artery. The catheter is navigated to the fibroids’ blood supply, where it deposits microscopic “beads” that cut the blood supply to the fibroids while preserving the blood supply to the uterus.

Starving the fibroids of blood shrinks them and renders them inactive. In some cases, they disappear entirely.

Dr. Ahmed pointed out that, should a patient require surgery at some point after an embolization, that option remains open.

Surgical treatment of fibroids

If less invasive treatments aren’t enough to manage your fibroids, Franciscan Health offers several surgical treatment options for uterine fibroids, including:

• Myomectomy: This minimally invasive robotic procedure removes uterine fibroids for women who find that symptoms are painfully interfering with their daily lives.
• Hysterectomy: Hysterectomies - the surgical removal of the uterus - are often recommended as a definitive solution for some gynecological conditions. These can be done many times as minimally invasive or robotic procedures.

If you are living with discomfort, pain, heavy bleeding or other symptoms of uterine fibroids, talk to your doctor about what treatment for fibroids is right for you.

How Can I Care For My Fibroid Pain At Home?

Recommended at-home remedies for fibroids focus on stress relief. High levels of stress can increase your risk for fibroids and many other health conditions. To manage your fibroid pain and reduce your stress levels, you can try:

• Massage therapy
• Warm baths
• Warm compress or heating pad
• Yoga or meditation

Are There Lifestyle Changes For Fibroids?

You can make healthy changes that may help reduce your risk of developing fibroids or even shrink the fibroids you already have. These changes include:

• Eating a healthy, balanced diet
• Ensuring your blood pressure is in check
• Getting regular physical activity
• Limiting your alcohol and caffeine intake
• Managing your day-to-day stress levels
• Quitting smoking

Research has shown that women with vitamin D deficiency may be at an increased risk for developing fibroids. Speak with your primary care or women’s health provider about whether adding a vitamin D supplement to your diet makes sense.