| What are they? | | | | excessive menstrual bleeding caused by fibroids in |
| Uterine Fibroids (leiomyomas) are common | | | | some patients. |
| noncancerous (benign) tumors that occur within the | | | | Non-surgical: Uterine Fibroid Embolization, UFE - Known |
| muscle walls of the uterus (womb). Uterine fibroids can | | | | medically as uterine artery embolization, approaches |
| be the size of a pinhead and show no signs or | | | | the treatment of fibroids by blocking the arteries that |
| symptoms that they are there, or they can be very | | | | supply blood to them causing them to shrink or |
| painful and grow to a 10 inch diameter. | | | | disappear. Uterine fibroid embolization is a more |
| There are four types of uterine fibroids: | | | | permanent solution than hormone therapy. When |
| Subserosal Fibroids, develop under the outside uterine | | | | hormonal treatment is stopped the fibroid tumors |
| covering. Intramural Fibroids, develop within the uterine | | | | usually grow back. UFE (Uterine Fibroid Embolization) |
| wall. Submucosal Fibroids, develop under the uterus | | | | isn't considered to be surgery, but it is generally done |
| lining. Pedunculated Fibroids, develop on a "stalk" or | | | | at a hospital or specialized clinic. This uterine fibroids |
| stem-like structure attached to the inside or the outside | | | | treatment procedure usually takes between 1 and 3 |
| of the uterus. | | | | hours, depending on how long it takes to position the |
| Fibroids may grow as a single nodule or in clusters. | | | | catheter and how easily the catheter can be |
| They may range in size from 1 mm to more than 20 | | | | positioned in the arteries to the uterus. |
| cm (8 inches) in diameter. Fibroids in the uterus are a | | | | Although uterine artery embolization has been in use |
| common cause of heavy menstrual bleeding and | | | | for two decades to treat bleeding after childbirth, it |
| pelvic pain and pressure in women. During pregnancy, | | | | wasn't until early 1997 that the technique was |
| fibroids can greatly increase in size. | | | | introduced as a potential treatment for uterine fibroids. |
| What are the Symptoms? | | | | Follow-up studies have shown that nearly 90 percent |
| Some women with uterine fibroids experience no | | | | of women who have their fibroids treated by uterine |
| symptoms at all. Symptoms may include excessive | | | | fibroid embolization experience either significant or |
| and prolonged menstrual bleeding, pain, abdominal | | | | complete resolution of their fibroid-related symptoms. |
| mass effect, frequent urination or urgency or | | | | Surgical: Surgery for uterine fibroids involves either |
| constipation and many others. | | | | removing the fibroids (myomectomy) or the entire |
| When symptoms appear, they can vary greatly, | | | | womb (hysterectomy). Surgery has risks, including |
| depending on the size and exact location of the fibroid | | | | bleeding and infection. About a third of the more than |
| tumors. Women sometimes underestimate the impact | | | | 500,000 hysterectomies done in the U.S. each year |
| of their symptoms because they have become | | | | are done because of fibroids. A large majority of the |
| accustomed to the excessive bleeding, pain and the | | | | women having these hysterectomies are probably |
| pressure that fibroids can cause. Also, for some | | | | unaware of the other, non-surgical alternatives. |
| reason African-American women develop symptoms | | | | Alternative treatment: Alternative treatments for |
| faster and with greater severity than other women. | | | | uterine fibroid tumors also abound. Naturopaths, |
| What does one do about them? | | | | homeopaths, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and other |
| Uterine fibroids often do not require treatment, but | | | | alternative health care providers have treatments to |
| when they are problematic, they may be treated | | | | offer as well. Some of these are new and less |
| surgically, non-surgically, with medication or with | | | | well-established than others, but the treatments are |
| alternative treatments. The very heavy menstrual | | | | usually safer, less traumatic, less invasive and less |
| bleeding, clotting and pelvic pain, that fibroids | | | | expensive than surgery. |
| sometimes cause leads many women to seek | | | | Remember that some medical treatments for uterine |
| treatment. | | | | fibroid tumors can affect your fertility. So it is important |
| What about treatment? | | | | to consider alternative uterine fibroid treatments. |
| There are several different types of treatments: | | | | Always seek the advice of your physician or other |
| Hormonal: Uterine fibroid tumors require estrogen and | | | | qualified health provider prior to starting any new |
| progesterone to grow, and without these hormones, | | | | treatment or with any questions you may have |
| fibroid tumors usually shrink in size. Hormonal | | | | regarding a medical condition. |
| treatments (such as birth control pills) may help control | | | | |