Have you recently been diagnosed with uterine fibroids and are wondering what’s the next step?

Uterine fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) growths that occur in the uterus. They are incredibly common, and many women will have fibroids without even knowing.

Gaining an answer to what’s been causing your symptoms can bring relief, but it is often followed with the uncertainty of how to proceed – especially if you’re interested in holistically approaching the situation & wanting to shrink fibroids naturally.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the basics behind uterine fibroids from both a western & Chinese medicine point of view. And you’ll learn how acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help fibroids, and when to consider a holistic approach to your treatment as opposed to surgery.

Chinese Medicine for Fibroids: the Clinical Experience

Many women with uterine fibroids aren’t coming in primarily for the fibroid itself. In fact, a lot of them had no idea they had a fibroid to begin with. Persistent menstrual-related issues that get worse over time can often be a sign of fibroids. The most common symptoms secondary to fibroids are:

• Excessively heavy menstrual bleeding accompanied with anemia

• Periods that last longer than 7 days

• Lower abdominal pressure and swelling

• Menstrual cramps

• Low back pain

• Infertility

Chinese medicine is effective at working on the above issues while simultaneously working on the fibroid. The reason is simple. Our goal is not to just reduce the fibroid, but to understand the hormonal imbalance causing the fibroid growth. This imbalance could also be contributing to your problem with heavy flow, cramps or infertility.

In the world of Chinese medicine, using acupuncture and herbal medicine to work on uterine fibroids is nothing new. Treatments are most effective at helping with small to medium size fibroids. This means a fibroid up to around 5 cm, which is about the size of a lemon.

If the size of the fibroid is large (upwards of 7 cm and more) and it’s causing a lot of pain, having it removed through one of the various surgical treatments seems to be the norm. Another reason to consider immediate surgical removal of the fibroid is if the location of the fibroid is sensitive. For example, the fibroid is pressing on the intestines or bladder causing problems there. Or it may be located in the inside layer of the uterus making it difficult to conceive. In those situations, removing the fibroid would give you a rapid solution and relief.

So the main question here is why take the holistic approach?

The Holistic Method: Shrinking Fibroids Naturally

One of the main reasons to consider a holistic approach to fibroids is their high rate of recurrence. Different studies have shown the recurrence rate to be as high as 30% in some instances. Basically what this means is that simply removing a fibroid doesn’t guarantee that it’s gone for good. Many women have had their fibroids surgically removed, only to have new ones show up on their ultrasounds a few years later. It is for this reason that women who aren’t interested in getting pregnant or are done having kids, are routinely recommended to have a complete removal of their uterus (hysterectomy) to prevent recurrence.

The reason for these recurrences are simple: if you don’t change the environment which created the problem in the first place, it is highly likely the issue will recur. When treating fibroids we have to dig deep and understand what environmental and hormonal factors contributed to the creation of this tumor. If we don’t remove the environmental toxins and correct the hormonal imbalances, we are not taking care of the situation from all angles.

One of the biggest issues when it comes to fibroids is your exposure to estrogen. It’s well established that estrogen can promote fibroid growth. In holistically treating fibroids, we need to understand whether your body’s exposure to excess estrogen is caused by outside factors (like foods / chemicals / etc) or from the body’s inability to properly metabolize it.

Chinese Medicine and Fibroids: Causes

In Chinese medicine, fibroids are said to be caused by two different imbalances: stagnation of blood in the uterus or an accumulation of dampness.

Blood stagnation: refers to a lack of smooth blood flow in the pelvis, which causes blockages and obstructions. Think of a freeway where cars begin to drive erratically and chaotically – an accident is bound to happen and once it does, there are major traffic jams. This is the type of environment that engenders fibroids. The fibroid is essentially a more tangible and physical manifestation of these obstructions. It is interesting to note that the blood stagnation imbalance shares many of the same symptoms of estrogen dominance (excess estrogen): painful cramps, pms symptoms, heavy bleeding.

Dampness: refers to impaired fluid metabolism in the body because of poor digestion. In Chinese medicine, the digestive organs are responsible for refining food and drink into nutrition and transporting it to the different parts of the body. When this process is messed up, your body produces dampness. When you bloat or feel sluggish after eating even the lightest meals, this is a manifestation of that dampness.

Your intestines play an incredible role in metabolizing estrogen: excess estrogen in the body is inactivated by the liver and removed from the body via the stool. If your digestive health isn’t optimal, it’s possible you’re holding onto more estrogen than you need, and this can be fueling fibroid growth. It is for this reason that if dampness is a presenting factor in your case, your digestive health must certainly be addressed.

Get Help: Schedule Your Consult with Dr. Aylee Today

If you feel you may have an issue with your reproductive system, or you’ve recently received a diagnosis from your care provider and are interested in finding out more about alternative methods, we can help! We routinely treat, with a high degree of success, women with fertility issues, homonal imbalances, and uterine fibroids. You don’t have to just live with it, or go into surgery. Remember, no surgery is a minor surgery, there is always a recovery period, often times complications or pain and the possibility of recurrence. We can and do heal women naturally on a routine basis and we can help you too!