Moving Beyond Fibroid Pain: How to Manage Symptoms for Relief

Fibroids are noncancerous tumors; they may form within or attached to you uterus. These tumors can cause fibroid pain, menstrual cramps and more symptoms that interfere with your quality of life. Luckily, there are ways to manage symptoms and treat your tumors so you can move past the pain and live the life you want.

Fibroids 101: Understanding The Basics

While we don’t know exactly why these tumors form, researchers have identified certain factors that influence fibroid growth. They include hormonal changes, especially rises in progesterone and estrogen levels; your genetic history, particularly if you had a close female relative who previously developed fibroids; and other factors including your age, your race and exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals in personal care products and in your environment.  

While some women don’t ever experience fibroid symptoms, others could experience stomach, back and pelvic pain, along with changes to digestion and urination habits. In some cases, these symptoms can be managed with lifestyle changes or medication. At other times, treating the tumors will be the only way to move past fibroid pain.   

Why Do Fibroids Cause Pain?

Fibroid pain is often the result of large tumors that put pressure on tissues, nerves and organs surrounding your uterus. Some women will only experience painful symptoms during their menstrual cycle, while others will live with pain all throughout the month. Often, the severity of symptoms is determined by the size and location of your tumors.

Intramural fibroids—developing within the uterine wall—tend to cause pelvic pain, heavy bleeding and difficulties urinating. Subserosal fibroids, developing outside of your uterus, can cause stomach pain, cramping, a full or heavy feeling, and frequent urination. Submucosal fibroids, growing beneath the lining of your uterus, lead to pelvic and lower back pain in addition to heavier menstrual cycles. And pedunculated tumors, developing outside of the uterus, can lead to a variety of painful and disruptive symptoms.

Strategies for Managing Pain and Finding Fibroid Relief

Some women can manage their fibroid symptoms by following an anti-inflammatory diet, reducing processed, sugary and fatty foods and adding plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. Regular exercise, especially practices like yoga that can also reduce stress, can help manage fibroid pain, especially when you’re dealing with menstrual symptoms such as cramping.

However, if you experience more serious fibroid symptoms, including infertility or anemia, medical intervention may be necessary. At this point, you should speak to a trusted healthcare provider, discussing your symptoms; your fertility goals; and any other health factors that could guide your fibroid treatment decisions.

Moving Beyond Pain Management: Exploring Your Treatment Options

While you can manage some fibroid symptoms with medications such as hormonal birth control, the best way to find lasting relief is by directly targeting your uterine tumors. This can be done surgically, via myomectomy or hysterectomy. Alternatively, you could explore Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE)—a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure that shrinks the tumor by blocking their blood supply. While this procedure is not right for every patient, you can start to explore your candidacy by requesting a consultation with a specialist at one of our five Houston-area fibroid clinics, with offices in Katy, Clear Lake, Sugar Land, The Woodlands and in Houston proper, conveniently located on Bellaire Blvd.