Uterine Fibroid

Symptoms

While many women with uterine fibroids show no symptoms of this condition, some women may experience one or more of the following:

• heavy or painful periods
• bleeding between periods
• a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen
• pelvic pressure or pain
• constipation
• a frequent need to urinate
• pain during sex
• lower back pain
• reproductive problems (such as infertility, multiple miscarriages, or early labor)

Causes

• Exposure to Xenoestrogens : Xenoestrogens are estrogens that are produced outside of the body. Here is a list of significant sources of xenoestrogens:
  • Birth control pills
  • Hormone replacement drugs
  • Condom spermicides
  • Conventional personal care products, particularly cosmetics
  • Plastic cookware
  • Growth hormones found in factory-farmed animal products
  • Pesticides and herbicides
  • DDT
  • PCBs - polychlorinated biphenyls
  • Foaming agents in soaps and detergents
• Being Overweight : Estrogen is produced in three different areas of the body:
  • Ovaries (testicles in men)
  • Adrenal glands
  • Fat cells : That's right. Estrogen is produced by fat cells. The more fat cells a person has, the greater chance he or she has of experiencing estrogen dominance.
• Chronic Stress : When a person experiences chronic physical and/or emotional stress, his or her body will begin to convert progesterone into the stress hormone, cortisol. In fact, we now know that a woman who experiences significant stress during pregnancy can actually draw upon her baby's progesterone stores to manufacture enough cortisol for the mom to deal with her stress. The point is, stress can lead to a depletion of progesterone, which creates the same condition of estrogen dominance that a woman experiences when she has too much estrogen in her system.

Home remedies

• Clearly, you must strive to avoid unnecessary exposure to xenoestrogens. Study the list of xenoestrogens above and do your best to avoid them.
• Because fat cells produce estrogen, reaching and maintaining your ideal body weight is essential to addressing chronic estrogen dominance.
• Finally, estrogen dominance must be addressed in part by making a conscious and consistent effort to manage emotional stressors effectively.
• Green Tea : In an animal study published in 2010, scientists discovered that eight weeks of treatment with green tea extract led to a significant decrease in the volume and weight of uterine fibroids among a group of mice.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine  : In a pilot study published in 2002, researchers assigned a group of women with uterine fibroids to six months of treatment with traditional Chinese medicine, body therapy (including bodywork), and guided imagery. Study results showed that fibroids shrank or stopped growing in 22 patients in the treatment group, compared with three patients in the control group.
• Acupuncture : For a research review published in 2010, investigators sought out all randomized controlled trials comparing acupuncture with various other treatments (such as medication) in the management of uterine fibroids. Finding none of the available studies sufficiently well-designed, the review's authors concluded that "the effectiveness of acupuncture for the management of uterine fibroids remains uncertain."
• Dan Shen : salvia root can be prescribed with common bur-reed rhizome, zedoray rhizome and oyster shell : it has showed that the dispersing actions are beneficial to liver and spleen enlargements, ectopic pregnancy, uterine fibroid or other hematoma masses in the abdomen.

Warnings

Since no natural approach has been proven to treat uterine fibroids safely and effectively, it's important to consult your physician before using any type of alternative medicine in treatment of this condition.

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.