Women's Health Week: Healing Fibroids Naturally

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Good Morning

 

Women's Health Week: Healing Fibroids Naturally

 

Fibroids are nodules of fibrous tissue that can grown anywhere on the body.

Uterine fibroids are the most common noncancerous tumors of the female

reproductive organs. According to the location of the fibroid in the uterus,

they can be divided into three types.

 

Fibroids can grow underneath the uterine lining (submucosal), within the uterus

walls (intramural) or can be found on the outer walls of the uterus

(subserosal).

 

The cause of their growth is unknown. With many of my female patients who have

fibroids, it tends to be seen throughout their family history. Often times,

their mothers, sisters, aunts or grandmothers have suffered from them as well.

 

Next to heredity, other causes have been thought to be stress related, improper

diet, excessive weight gain and imbalances in hormone levels.

 

Hormonally, estrogen seems to be part of the problem. When estrogen levels are

high during a women’s period, this estrogen surge seems to stimulate tumor

growth. Therefore, fibroids often grow larger during the menstrual cycle as the

uterus engorges with blood, then shrinks after the cycle. They also tend to grow

larger during pregnancy and shrink after menopause due to the lack of estrogen.

 

Symptoms can range between no symptoms at all or a women can experience heavy

bleeding, abdominal masses, abdominal pain, pressure against the bladder, bowels

or pelvic floor, vaginal discharge, infertility, miscarriage or anemia.

 

Western medicine looks at several ways to treat fibroids, depending on their

size and depending on how much pain or havoc they are causing the body. Western

treatments include pharmacological inhibition of estrogen secretion, Progestin

supplementation, prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors, a myomectomy, or

hysterectomy.

 

In Traditional , we treat fibroids differently, based on the

site of the fibroid. Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been found to be more

effective than Western medicine (in most cases) as it works to bring the body

back into hormonal balance, naturally .

 

When fibroids are less than 5cm, the success rate with acupuncture and herbs is

higer. Although, clinically, I have had success with fibroids that are larger

than 5cm and have been able to shrink these fibroids with a combination of

acupuncture and herbal medicine, diet as well as, lifestyle changes.

 

Acupuncture treatments are based on the clinical diagnosis of stagnation and/or

dampness. Combinations of local and distal acupuncture points are used in order

to move energy and blood.

 

Channels that are focused on include the Conception channel, the Spleen,

Stomach, Liver and Kidney channels.

 

Herbal medicine has long been the apothecary of the world. Folklore and ancient

recipes have been past down for centuries. Nowadays, research studies are being

done on some of these herbs, herbal combinations and formulas. Formulas most

effective for abdominal masses include:

 

-Chai Hu Shu Gan San with Xie Fu Zuo Yu Tang for Qi and Phlegm Stagnation.

 

-Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan with Xiao Liu Fang for Blood Stasis.

 

-Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan for Phlegm Damp.

 

These formulas have shown to be even more effective when combined with a diet

low in fat that minimizes coffee, black tea, chocolate, alcohol and soy based

products.

 

The Western Herbal Materia Medica has shown that some herbs are effective for

balancing hormone levels. Chaste tree berry has been shown to promote

progesterone production by increasing luteinizing hormone.

 

Linoleic acid, found in omega-6 fatty acid form and linolenic acid, found

omega-3 fatty acid form are both essential oils found in fish oil. These two

essential oils can reduce estrogen production and are beneficial for women with

fibroids. Take 2,000 mg in divided doses (1,000 mg am/pm).

 

Nutritional considerations are a diet low in fat that minimizes coffee, black

tea, chocolate and alcohol.

 

Limit the amounts of red meat and pork eaten.

 

Avoid high fat and fried foods. Some women have found that their fibroids

decrease when taking up a vegetarian diet.

 

Changes in lifestyle can also play apart in reducing fibroids.

-Increase or add exercise to your life.

 

-Meditation, visualization and simple breathing techniques are all very helpful

in relieving stress in our lives.

 

-“Holding on” to certain beliefs in our lives, may be an improper way of

thinking.

 

-Metaphysical expert, Louse Hay suggests that a probable cause of fibroids and

cysts is “nursing a hurt from a partner or a blow to the feminine ego”.

 

Certainly, these are all options to consider.

 

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac

http://www.peacefulmind.com/articlesf.htm#Fibroids

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit

 

--

About the Author: Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac is a licensed acupuncturist and

certified herbalist with a full time practice in New York City. Andrew

specializes in rejuvenating therapies based in the ancient Chinese Medical

approach to Endocrinology, Gynecology and Pain Management. By improving

circulation and an increase in metabolism, Andrew treats hormonal imbalance,

infertility, menopause and menstrual disorders, as well as increasing blood flow

and vital energy in order to decrease pain, trauma and its associated symptoms.

Discover more about Andrew, his practice and his life's work at

http://www.ProAcuMed.com and http://www.peacefulmind.com

---

 

 

References

 

Boericke, William M.D., Materia Medica with Repertory, 1927, Boericke & Runyon

 

Chevallier, Andrew, The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, 1996, Dorlilng

Kindersley Limited

Gaeddert, Andrew, Chinese Herbs In The Western Clinic, Get Well Foundation 1994

Hay, Louise, You Can Heal Your Life, Hay House Inc. 1984

 

Mehl-Madrona, L. Complementary medicine treatment of uterine fibroids

2002 Altern Ther Health Med 8;2:34-6, 38-40, 42, 44-6

 

Richardson, Jack N.D., The Little Herb Encyclopedia (Third Edition), 1995,

Woodland Health Books