What are fibroids? Fibroids are a benign type of growth found in the uterus of women, most often African American women, usually during their childbearing years. It is very rare to see in a woman under twenty years of age, and if untreated they tend to get smaller after menopause. They can also be called leimyomas, myomas, or fibromyomas and are a type of tumor of the smooth muscle cells. Most women do not even notice these common growths.
The types of uterine fibroid tumors include: submucous fibroids, which have a tendancy to develop in the uterine cavity; intramural fibroids on the uterine wall; and subserous fibroids which show up in areas other than the uterous. Some fibroids grow beyond one of the areas described above and must be classed in two or more catagories.
It would seem that fibroids growth is related to levels of the hormone estrogen. As fibroids are larger during pregnancy and in young adults when the estrogen levels would be quite high and tend to shrink down after menopause when estrogen levels drop considerably. While it is good to have a starting point to think about the development of fibroids, the complete cause of fibroids is not known at this time.
One alternative theory relates the causes of fibroids includes to environmental toxins. Some toxins can cause reactions in the body similar to the effects of estrogen, and this may cause fibroids to grow rapidly. This can occur even in post-menopausal women.
While the condition is often unnoticed, it can be problematic, and even dangerous at times. Difficulties caused by fibroids can include difficulty in getting pregnant or infertility, inability to carry a child to term or miscarriage, pain and/or bleeding. Infertility is caused by a compression of the uterus, and miscarriages are caused by the filled uterine cavity having spasms. The most common sign is a heavy period. If the uterine fibroids are very large they can even cause symptoms associated with other organs in the body such as the bowel and bladder. These large fibroids are usually the most serious.
Medical staff routinely check for fibroids during a pelvic examination. Ultrasound exams can also uncover previously unknown tumors. Treatment includes hormone regulation which may cause temporary infertility and other unwanted side effects. In the most extreme cases, medical staff utilize surgical procedures to remove the growths, including myomectomies to remove fibroids, uterine artery embolization which cuts off the blood supply to the fibroid tumor, or when all other treatments fail, hysterectomies are performed.
A hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus and with it any chance of contracting another fibroid growth. Unfortunately, a hysterectomy is a major surgery, and comes with its own risks which should be discussed with medical staff before scheduling a procedure. Damage to nearby organs, infection, and death can occur during any major sugury. In the most rare cases, fibroids continue to grow and develop in the uterine cavity even after a hysterectomy.
Homeopathic remedies are readily available for treatment of fibroid growths. Herbal supplements like Vitex (Agnus Cactus) or chasteberry tincture shrink inflammation, fibroids, and regulate hormone levels. Detoxifiers like Detox-Drops (TM) help remove toxins that cause fibroids to grow, and boost the benefit of any herbal remedies for fibroids.
While I could wish that no one had to deal with the trauma of uterine fibroids, it is a problem for many women. I hope that if you or a loved one are affected by this condition that this article has helped to answer you questions. If you would like more information you can watch in-depth videos and get free information on natural treatments for fibroids at my website: http://www.fibroidsetc.com/what-are-fibroids/