Are you tired of the discomfort or pain resulting from fibroids and the traditional treatment options which may or may not include a hysterectomy, that no longer offer the solutions that you seek? If so, discover information on fibroids causes and symptoms as well as finding effective natural or holistic cures for fibroids.

What are Uterine Fibroids?

Fibroids are identified as tumors that can develop on or in the wall of the uterus. They are the most common benign tumor found in the uterus. Benign means that the tumor(s) are not cancerous. Uterine fibroids can vary in size from very small to very large. They can represent a single tumor or can be multiple tumors in the uterus. These tumors can also be hard to the touch or soft.

What Causes Uterine Fibroids

Although the exact cause is unknown, women with a family history of fibroids are usually at greater risk of developing fibroids themselves. The influence of hormones (especially estrogen) can lead to the development and growth of fibroids. During pregnancy, these tumors may increase in size significantly while a menopausal woman may experience a decrease in the size of fibroids.

Prevalence of Uterine Fibroids

Fibroids represent the most common tumor that is gynecological in nature. The amount of women of child bearing age that have fibroids is at a rate of 20 to 25%. Some studies show that the incidence of fibroids in all women can be as high as 75%.

The vast majority of these tumors are benign with only a few (less than 1%) leading to cancer. Although the exact cause as mentioned previously is unknown, besides women with a family history of fibroids being at greater risk, studies have also shown that black women develop fibroids at a rate of four to six times more that women of other races.

Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids

Some of the symptoms associated with fibroids include but are not limited to;

a. Discomfort or pain in the pelvic region

b. An increased menstrual cycle (soaking though two to three pads or tampons in an hour)

c. Blood clots

d. Having painful or irregular menstrual periods

e. An increased level of menstrual cramps

f. Increased need to urinate (the fibroids may press on the bladder)

g. Bloating and increased girth

h. Suffering from constipation (the fibroids may press on the rectum)

Fibroids may lead to infertility in a few cases as well as complications during pregnancy for a few pregnant women.

How are Uterine Fibroids Diagnosed?

Fibroids are more frequently than not, identified during a normal pelvic exam. An ultrasound may also be used to identify the fibroids as well as to confirm that they are indeed fibroids and not ovarian cysts which are fluid filled sacs found on or in the ovaries. A CT scan may also be used to identify fibroids to a lesser extent.

Treatment of Uterine Fibroids

1. Traditional Medicine

After identifying fibroids, your personal physician usually will decide to simply monitor the fibroids to see whether there is any change by performing an annual ultrasound. For the larger or worrisome fibroids, surgery is the next option that your doctor will suggest. A myomectomy is performed to remove superficial tumors leaving the uterus intact.

More serious tumors are surgically removed by performing a hysterectomy which also removes the uterus in addition to the fibroids – no uterus, no fibroids. A hysterectomy should always be the last resort after trying other treatments for fibroids. Other surgical methods including clotting which starves the fibroids of blood which the tumors need to grow. This starvation of the blood supply leads to the shrinkage of the fibroids.

With a myomectomy or other surgical procedures (besides a hysterectomy), recurrence of the fibroids is at a rate of 12 to 64% since they do not treat the root cause of the fibroids.

2. Natural or Holistic Treatments

Unlike traditional treatments for fibroids, natural treatments for these tumors seek to treat the root cause of fibroids to prevent recurrence and provide a holistic approach which is always the best option for the treatment and cure of uterine fibroids.

Natural remedies for the treatment of fibroids do not come with the side effects associated with traditional medicine. Surgery is always risky even when your uterus is left intact and comes with side effects in addition to being expensive. Holistic remedies are inexpensive while still being effective at treating fibroids and have been shown to provide excellent results for many women suffering from fibroids.