Uterine Fibroids in Conventional Medicine
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors composed of smooth uterine muscle and connective tissue. The uterus is the most common site for muscle tumors to occur. Conventional Western medicine believes that estrogen can trigger fibroids and make the fibroids grow more quickly. Estrogen triggers the myometrium (the smooth muscle coat of the uterus) to grow and thicken, which is where the fibroids are located. Depending on the location, fibroids are classified into “intramural fibroids” (located in the innermost layer of the uterus), “subserous fibroids” (protruding into the abdominal cavity), “submucous fibroids” (invading the endometrium) and “parasitic fibroids” (those which have migrated out of the uterus).
Statistics indicate that uterine fibroids develop most commonly in women who are in their 30s and 40s. About 30% of all women will develop fibroids by the time they reach 35. If the fibroids are surgically removed, there is a 10% chance they will grow back. This might be the reason that hysterectomies are so widely favored by doctors to treat uterine fibroids. Actually, uterine fibroids are the most common reason for hysterectomies in the United States. About 30% of all the hysterectomies performed in this country are for uterine fibroids. Some complications of hysterectomy include hemorrhaging, eventual ovarian failure, loss of bladder function, urinary incontinence, depression, and infections. Some studies estimate that up to 70% of all hysterectomies performed in this country are either unnecessary or can be avoided by using alternative approaches. Traditional Chinese medicine therapy for uterine fibroid tumors, using acupuncture and herbal medicine, is the oldest known form of medicine which is still in wide use today.
