A large proportion of fibroids do not cause any symptoms and usually subside after menopause, requiring no treatment. However, there are fibroids that cause severe pain, bleeding or that hinder the process of becoming pregnant and need to be treated. Know the main types of fibroids and their symptoms.
Thus, depending on the type of fibroid and the symptoms of each woman the gynecologist can indicate different types of treatment, which include:
- Use of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen: they improve intense mental cramps and reduce excess bleeding caused by fibroids; Use of hormonal remedies, such as the pill: help to relieve the intensity of menstruation and reduce the size of the fibroid; Iron supplements: prevent and treat cases of anemia caused by excessive bleeding; Surgery, known as myomectomy: serves to remove the myoma, without having to remove the uterus. It is used especially when the fibroid presses on other organs or causes very intense symptoms;
In addition, when the fibroid is very large, it may be necessary to reduce its size before having the surgery, and for this a technique known as embolization is used. In it, the doctor, through a surgical procedure, makes several injections with embolizing agent diluted in iodinated contrast through the femoral artery, until a reduction in the blood flow of the artery that nourishes the fibroid is observed, causing its death.
When the woman has a fibroid and no longer plans to become pregnant, the doctor may recommend removing the uterus to eliminate the fibroid and prevent the problem from recurring later. See what happens after the uterus is removed.
How treatment is done during pregnancy
When the fibroid is identified during pregnancy, usually the treatment is done only with the use of painkillers and rest, and the treatment with surgery or use of hormones is only started after the end of the pregnancy.
However, in very rare cases, where the fibroid jeopardizes the development of the fetus or the mother's life, the doctor can assess the need to advance delivery and have surgery to remove the fibroid.
Signs of improvement
The signs of improvement appear after a few weeks of treatment and are mainly characterized by the reduction of the symptoms that were being caused by the fibroid, such as severe cramps during menstruation, excessive bleeding or feeling tired, for example.
Signs of worsening
The signs of worsening happen when the treatment is not being done or is not having the expected result and, therefore, the fibroid may continue to grow. Some of the signs that the treatment is not working are the maintenance of very severe cramps, difficulty in getting pregnant or very heavy bleeding.
In these cases, it is advisable to go back to the gynecologist to evaluate other treatment options.
