Treatment for uterine fibroids is required in cases with moderate and severe symptoms. Treatment opted by the gynecologists depends upon various factors including the symptoms experienced and the size of fibroids.
What Is The Best Treatment For Uterine Fibroids?
The treatment for uterine fibroid depends upon the symptoms experienced by the patient. If the patient experiences no symptoms, there is no need to provide treatment even if the patient suffers from fibroid. However, even a small fibroid is present and it causes severe symptoms, treatment is required. The best treatment for uterine fibroid is one which shrinks the fibroid, alleviates the symptoms and also preserves the normal functioning of the uterus. However, if the fibroid is too large, and there is severe swelling in the abdomen, the best treatment may be a hysterectomy, but it will not preserve the uterus as the complete uterus has to be removed; so best treatment depends upon the circumstances and condition of the disease.
Treatment For Uterine Fibroids
Various treatment options are available for the patient with uterine fibroids. The treatment strategy is prepared on the basis of the type of symptoms experienced by the patient. Some patients may feel very mild symptoms. In such patients, no treatment is required or the mild analgesics may serve the purpose. However, comprehensive medical intervention is required in case the patient have moderate to severe symptoms as ignoring them may complicate the condition. Further, the treatment, especially type of surgery also depends up to the size of the fibroids. Sometimes, the size of the fibroid is small but the patient suffered from severe bleeding. In such a case, minimally invasive surgery can be performed to remove the fibroids. Following are the various treatment options in uterine fibroid treatment:
Active Surveillance. If the patient does not have such symptoms that may cause severe discomfort and the patient may live with it, active monitoring is the best practice. The size of the fibroid may automatically shrink after menopause1.
Medications. For managing uterine fibroids, medication is the first line treatment. Various medications are used to either manage the symptoms, shrink the size of fibroid or to prevent further growth.
Oral Contraceptives. Oral contraceptives are known for altering the level of hormones. These drugs may help to reduce the severity of bleeding2.
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (Gn-RH) Agonists. Hormones are primarily responsible for the development of fibroids. These drugs prevent the synthesis of these hormones leading to slowing the growth of the fibroid. These drugs perform several actions. They reduce the synthesis of estrogen, prevent menstrual bleeding and prevents anemia. They also help in shrinking the size of fibroids1.
Progestin-Releasing Intrauterine Device (IUD). These are the device that is placed in the uterus. These device releases progestins that slow the growth of the uterine wall. These devices prevent heavy bleeding1.
Tranexamic Acid. This drug is used when contraception is not required. This drug reduces blood loss by almost 50%3.
Non-Invasive Technique. Non-invasive techniques such as MRI-guided focused ultrasound surgery can be used to destroy the fibroid tissue while preserving the healthy uterine tissues1.
Invasive Procedure. Invasive procedure may either be minimally invasive surgery or conventional surgery. Minimally invasive surgery is done when the size of the fibroid is small while conventional surgery is required to remove large fibroids. Various minimally invasive procedures are used such as Laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy, myolysis, Uterine artery embolization, Hysteroscopic myomectomy, and Endometrial ablation1. These minimally invasive procedures carry less risk of complications and the recovery time is also less as compared to conventional surgery. Traditional surgery for uterine fibroids includes Hysterectomy. I.e. complete removal of the uterus, and Abdominal myomectomy. Both of these procedures are classified as major surgical procedures.
Conclusion
The best treatment for uterine fibroids is one that shrinks the fibroids and preserves normal anatomy of the uterus. However, in some cases with large fibroids, the doctor has to remove the uterus. This may be the best treatment, keeping in mind the condition of the patient.
Also Read:
- What Happens to Untreated Uterine Fibroids?
- Can Uterine Fibroids Turn Into Cancer?
- Do Uterine Fibroids Go Away On Its Own?
- What Are The Dangers Of Having Uterine Fibroids?
- What Foods To Avoid When You Have Uterine Fibroids?
- What Foods Help Shrink Uterine Fibroids?
- What are Uterine Fibroids , Know its Types, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prognosis, Complications
