Fibroid treatments have as their common goal to eradicate fibroids in the uterus while preserving the uterus itself. (Hysterectomy is the ultimative surgical treatment for fibroids, but at the cost that many do not to want pay.) Medical doctors seem not to believe that there exists anything that will cure uterine fibroids, so they go through the motions of prescribing this or that, somehow hoping that the patient will become fatigued with all the wrong approaches and be made to ask for the elective hysterectomy herself.
Uterine fibroid is a tumor of muscles in the uterus. Another name for them is myoma, which is short for the more technical name — leiomyoma. Women can endure an entire pregnancy or two with uterine fibroids present, but there are cases in which they produce heavy menstrual bleeding, pain and various others types of discomfort.
If you naively add the notion of “surgery” to the notion of “uterine fibroids”, you end up thinking that the standard surgical way of dealing with the fibroids would consist of cutting them out and leaving the womb in place (the technical term for such an operation is myomectomy). However, myomectomy is more complicated for the surgeon to perform than hysterectomy, so when a surgeon talks about surgery for uterine fibroids, he or she mainly thinks and/or proposes straight hysterectomy. Trusting doctors, patients perform their own leap of faith and head straight to hysterectomy, often unaware of many other alternatives, be them surgical or alternative in nature.
Energy Healing Methods To Avoid Hysterectomy
Before hysterectomy, try everything else there is: . homeopathy,
== herbal remedies and treatments,
== Reiki and similar energies,
== Su Jok etc.
Fibroid treatments can also be taken as a combination, especially if you want to include “softer” energy healing methods such as Reiki, flower remedies, and EFT. It should be noted, though, that homeopathy and Su Jok can cure fibroids all on their own, so if you want to try a Do It Yourself approach, while waiting out for the official medicines to work, you can. To make things even more interesting, many of the classical fibroid treatments can be replicated on an energy level, so it certainly pays to learn about all these possibilities. Herbal remedies can help you too, but it seems that the most hope comes from using special combinations of enzymes, that are geared to removing the fibroids without surgery.
To decide which method would be the best in the given period, have a look at astrohomeopathy case of uterine fibroids page.
Surgical Fibroid Treatments
Myomectomy
Myomectomy is taking only the fibroids out, while preserving the uterus. The goal is to leave the possibility of getting pregnant some time later. Unfortunately for millions of women, myomectomy is a much more complicated operation as compared to hysterectomy, so surgeons that get paid by operation, tend to suggest hysterectomy as a shorther procedure for them. The result is dozens and hundreds of thousands of unneeded hysterectomis, especially in the USA, UK and the rest of the so-called Western World.
Endometrial ablation
When there is too much bleeding and it does not respond to any other medical approach, destroying the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus that actually bleeds, is a good idea. The womb remains almost intact, the procedure is not long or bothersome (as compared to a full hysterectomy, of course), but the possibility of getting pregnant is destroyed forever.
Uterine artery embolization
For your convenience we have copied introductory paragraphs from this site:
Uterine artery embolization is a minimally invasive treatment for uterine fibroids, noncancerous growths in the uterus. In uterine artery embolization — also referred to as uterine fibroid embolization — a doctor uses a slender, flexible tube (catheter) to inject small particles into the uterine arteries, which supply blood to your fibroids and uterus. The goal is to block tiny vessels that lead to your fibroids, starve the fibroids and cause them to die.
Interventional radiologists usually perform uterine artery embolization. This type of doctor uses imaging techniques to guide procedures that would be impossible with conventional surgery. Some specialists in obstetrics and gynecology also have training in uterine artery embolization.
Uterine balloon therapy
The following was taken from here:
Menorrhagia, or excessive menstrual bleeding, affects 22 percent of healthy women. According to OCH Regional Medical Center Staff Obstetrician/Gynecologist Jan Furniss, MD, this common problem is a frequent cause of iron-deficiency and is often treated with drug therapy, dilation and curettage (D and C), or hysterectomy in severe cases.
However, a new procedure, uterine balloon therapy (UTB), was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating certain patients with menorrhagia.
“UBT, a minimally invasive treatment that typically takes less than a half-hour, provides a cure for excessive bleeding in 85 percent of women who elect to have this procedure,” Dr. Furniss said, adding that there is no surgical incision, and patients are discharged the same day, with most able to resume normal activities within a couple of days. “In most cases, menstrual bleeding will be reduced to light or moderate flow; some women may have only spotting while a few may have no bleeding at all.”
She said UBT is now the treatment of choice for certain patients who have failed to find relief with drug therapy and wish for hysterectomy to be a last resort. According to Dr. Furniss, drug therapy, such as low-dose birth control pills or other hormones, can be effective in decreasing bleeding without the need for surgery. She noted that repeated, long-term dosing is sometimes required, as symptoms may return once the treatment is discontinued.
Adhesiolysis
This is the source for the following introduction to adhesiolysis:
Peritoneal adhesion is a common cause of bowel obstruction, pelvic pain and infertility. Proper technique of adhesiolysis is important and operating surgeons should have clear concept of mechanism of adhesion formation.
Normal fibrinolytic activity prevents fibrinous attachments for 72 to 96 hours after surgery and mesothelial repair occurs within 5 days of trauma. Within these 5 days a single cell layer of new peritoneum covers the injured raw area, replacing fibrinous exudates. However, if fibrinous activity of the peritoneum is suppressed, fibroblast will migrate, proliferate and form fibrous adhesion. Collagen is deposited and neovasular formation starts.
The most important factors which suppress fibrinolytic activity and promote adhesion formation are:
- Port wound just above the target of dissection
- Tissue Ischemia
- Drying of serosal surfaces
- Excessive suturing Omental Patches
- Traction of peritoneum
- Blood clots, stones or dead tissue retained inside
- Prolonged operation
- Visceral injury
- Infection
- Delayed postoperative mobilization of patient
- Postoperative pain due to inadequate analgesia.
- Hemodynamic instability
- Uncorrected coagulopathy
- Severe cardiopulmonary disease
- Abdominal wall infection
- Multiple previous upper abdominal procedures
- Late pregnancy
Contraindications
· Hemodynamic instability
· Uncorrected coagulopathy
· Severe cardiopulmonary disease
· Abdominal wall infection
· Multiple previous upper abdominal procedures
· Late pregnancy
Hormonal Pharmacological Fibroid Treatments
This is the source for the following information on hormonal fibroid treatments:
• Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (Gnrh) Agonists And Antagonists
GnRH agonists or antagonists are typically given before surgery to make fibroids smaller and more controllable during surgery and to reduce blood loss. Therapy using GnRH agonists and antagonist drugs result in a decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels leading to a decrease in the size of the fibroid.
There is also cessation of menstruation, allowing women with anemia due to uterine bleeding to increase their iron stores. The side effects of using these medications are similar to the symptoms experienced as a result of hormonal changes during and after menopause. These include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, changes in metabolism and infertility.
GnRH treatments are not to be used during pregnancy due to potential pregnancy complications or in the long term since it can significantly decrease bone density leading to osteoporosis. Currently, GnRH agonists are used more frequently than GnRH antagonists.
GnRH agonist drugs include: Lupron, Synarel, Zoladex, among others. Recent researches, however, suggest that GnRH antagonists work more quickly and the side effects less severe than those of GnRH agonists.• Progestins
Progestins can partially suppress estrogen stimulation of uterine fibroid growth. It also reduces bleeding and provides contraception. Side effects of progestins may include weight gain, depression, and irregular bleeding. For some women, however, fibroids tend to grow while on progestin therapy.
Examples of progestins are: medroxyprogesterone acetate, depomedroxyprogesterone acetate, and norethindrone.• Progestin-releasing intrauterine device (IUD)
A progestin-releasing IUD can only provide relief for the symptoms associated with fibroids such as heavy bleeding and pain but it cannot shrink fibroids or make them disappear.• Antiprogestins
Based on recent studies, it has been found that drugs that oppose the other major female hormone, progesterone, seem to be effective in treating uterine fibroids as well.The most popular anti-progestin drug Mifepristone, also known as RU 486, has showed in small studies that it induces uterine shrinkage and stops menstrual periods in women with fibroids. However, this drug is not readily available and studies regarding its effectiveness are still in the early stages.
• Androgens
The ovaries and adrenal glands produce androgens, also called as male hormones. Androgens can also help to relieve fibroid symptoms.Currently, there are synthetic drugs similar to testosterone called Danazol and Gestrinone that may effectively stop menstruation, cure anemia, shrink fibroid tumors and reduce fibroid size.
Side effects in taking this drug may include weight gain, dysphoria (feeling depressed, anxious or uneasy), acne, headaches, unwanted hair growth and a deeper voice.
• Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (Serms)
SERMs may help reduce fibroid growth. Based on animal studies, it acts as an anti-estrogen on uterine smooth muscle and may be capable of shrinking fibroids even though estrogen is still present. However, its efficiency on humans compared to other drugs is still unclear. Example of a SERM drug is Raloxifene.• Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Factor
Lupron® and other luteinizing hormone releasing factor medications are frequently used to decrease the size of uterine fibroids by about 50% over 3 months of use.
However, Lupron®, is very expensive and does not seem suitable for long term treatment of fibroids. It reduces the size of fibroids and decreases blood flow to the fibroids prior to surgery.• Oral Contraceptives
Oral contraceptives also alter the natural hormone levels in the body, thus, slowing or stopping fibroid growth. They work by altering the estrogen and progesterone levels in the body which results in a low enough estrogen level to control fibroid growth.
The side effects of oral contraceptives are similar to those associated with GnRH agonists and antagonists, but less severe. One advantage of oral contraceptives to GnRH therapies is that they can be used for a long period of time without endangering fertility or causing severe enough side effects to require discontinuation of therapy.