The Natural Beat » Women’s Health

How to Improve Hormone Harmony Naturally During PMS

Tess — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Unless there is something medically wrong with them, all women will have a menstrual cycle. The vast majority of women also experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Their hormones are all over the place. Many women want to know how to improve hormone harmony naturally during PMS. Some men may want to know, too, so they can help the women in their lives.

* Start with a low-fat, high fiber diet. Beans and lentils are great choices to add during your monthly cycle. They are rich in B vitamins, high in fiber, and provide a number of minerals your body needs. Some people also believe they increase the level of serotonin which calms the brain. If you’re eating lower fat foods, you’re also helping your body produce less estrogen which may ease some of PMS’s symptoms – including anxiety and irritability.

* Reduce sodium in your diet, particularly if you tend to retain water. The problem is many of the foods women crave leading up to their periods are chock full of sodium. Many experts recommend limiting your sodium intake to less than 2,000 mg per day. Too much sodium in the diet can lead to water retention, abdominal bloating, and breast tenderness which most women would like to avoid.

* Get plenty of exercise. Exercise does more than improve your general overall health. Spending 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week in an aerobic exercise increases the endorphins in your system, and this helps improve your mood.

* Take time to meditate. Meditation can help reduce tension headaches and reduce other physical complaints women generally have during PMS. If you meditate consistently you may notice a reduction in the discomfort generally felt during the time leading to menstruation.

* You can also use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises when dealing with PMS. If you’re more relaxed your body will produce less cortisol – a stress hormone which may cause you to retain excess weight.

* Try acupressure to relieve headaches, bloating, and menstrual cramps. By using pressure points along the neck, abdomen, and foot you can reduce the symptoms of PMS. You can learn more about acupressure by researching it on the internet or finding someone who performs acupressure.

* Limit or eliminate alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to affect the liver, which is the body’s first line of defense in fighting viruses and bacteria. A strong liver will also allow the production of estrogen to increase, which results in premenstrual syndrome. The liver is also partially responsible for the production of prostaglandins which regulate contractions of the uterus leading to cramping.

It seems everything you do from diet and exercise to how you relax can affect your hormones. When your hormones are out of balance you may notice more symptoms associated with PMS. By improving hormonal harmony during PMS you can reduce the symptoms and feel better.

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Secondary Dysmenorrhea – Common Causes

Tess — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Dysmenorrhea – or painful cramping associated with a menstrual flow – is something that many women have to deal with each month. These cramps can be something as simple as a dull ache but may be more severe where a woman is actually in so much pain she can’t function in her daily life. Regardless of which you call it, cramps or dysmenorrhea, women want to know what causes them and how they can treat them so they can get on with their lives.

There are two forms of dysmenorrhea, primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized by severe lower abdominal cramping that is so bad women miss millions of hours of school and work each year. Doctors believe primary dysmenorrhea is caused by an imbalance in the hormone called prostaglandin which is responsible for making the uterus contract so the lining of the uterus is expelled during a normal menstrual cycle. The problem comes when too much prostaglandin is produced, which causes the severe cramping women feel.

Secondary dysmenorrhea, on the other hand, describes the painful cramping linked to physical problems not associated with menstruation. This could be caused by:

* Ovarian cysts, fibroids, and cervical or uterine polyps which are benign (non-cancerous) growths along the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or within the pelvic area.

* Infections within the pelvis which may be caused by sexually transmitted diseases or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

* Endometriosis which is a condition where the cells from lining of the uterus grow outside of the abdominal cavity. Adenomyosis is the same type of cells which grow into the uterine wall.

* Using an intrauterine device (IUD) for a contraceptive. This may occur during the first couple of months of use but should decline the longer you use the IUD. You may need to have your IUD removed if painful menstrual cramping continues or gets worse.

* Congenital problems including a tilted uterus or narrowing of the cervix which have been present at birth.

* Problems associated with pregnancy such as miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy.

Treatment for dysmenorrhea is determined by your gynecologist and will be made by considering the following factors: your overall health, age, and medical history, whether you have primary or secondary dysmenorrhea, what type of medication, therapy, or medications you can tolerate, the expected course the condition will follow, and your preferences.

You may be prescribed a prostaglandin inhibitor which reduces pain and are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) in nature. Some of these include aspirin or ibuprofen. If the pain is severe, they may prescribe a higher strength NSAID than what can be obtained over the counter. Oral contraceptives are another option your doctor may recommend because if they can inhibit ovulation, you won’t have the pain associated with it.

Doctors may also recommend progesterone hormone therapy, vitamin supplements, placing a heating pad across the abdomen, regular exercise, abdominal massage, or dietary modifications. Many women will take a pain reliever to try to ease the pain associated with their monthly cycle, but if the pain is very strong or occurs at times other than when you’re menstruating, it may be time to seek medical help.

There’s no reason you, or any woman you know, should have to experience the painful cramping known as secondary dysmenorrhea. Now you know what it is, some of the causes, and some of the treatments, you can speak with your doctor in an informed manner and take control of ending this condition once and for all.

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Tess — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Most women around the world experience menstrual cramps from time to time. It seems to go with being a woman. However, women experiencing frequent and severe cramps during the first days of their monthly cycle may be suffering from a condition called primary dysmenorrhea.

You’ve probably heard of menstrual cramping but may not have heard of it called by its scientific name – dysmenorrhea. In the simplest terms, dysmenorrhea is a condition whereby a woman experiences severe and painful menstrual cramps and other pain associated with having a period. Dysmenorrhea falls into two categories: primary and secondary.

Primary dysmenorrhea often begins a couple of years after a young woman starts having a menstrual cycle and usually lasts her entire lifetime and has no obvious physical cause. The pain is severe and often happens frequently during a cycle. Doctors agree the severe pain is caused by abnormal contractions of the uterus and believe up to 90% of all women experience this condition at some point.

Why would the uterus have such abnormal contractions? Doctors believe they’re caused by a chemical imbalance. The chemicals in question – prostaglandin and arachidonic acid – actually control uterine contractions to expel the lining of the uterus during menstruation.

You may be faced with frequent severe cramping in the lower abdomen during your monthly cycle. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, lightheadedness, or headaches. Expect pains to begin as soon as menstruation begins, become worse as flow is the heaviest (first two days of the cycle), and then ease off.

If you experience these symptoms, make an appointment with your gynecologist. They will be able to diagnose primary dysmenorrhea but will want to rule out other medical conditions. You can expect a pelvic exam, possibly an ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), laparoscopy, or a hysteroscopy to make a proper diagnosis.

Treatment will be based on your age, overall health, and medical history. They’ll also base it on the extent of your condition, how well you tolerate medication, and how they expect the condition to progress. They will also take your preferences into consideration since you’re the one who is experiencing the problem.

They may suggest taking a prostaglandin inhibitor to help reduce pain, an oral contraceptive so you don’t ovulate, progesterone (which is a hormonal treatment), or may make recommendations to change your diet.

Women who experience primary dysmenorrhea can be in so much pain that they have to miss school or work. They are also limited to the activities they can participate in.

Primary dysmenorrhea interrupts women’s lives more often than many women will admit. If you’re in that group and taking over-the-counter pain relievers doesn’t help, you may want to see your gynecologist. They will be able to determine the best course of treatment to ease the pain and help you experience the freedom of life without the painful symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea.

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Tess — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Menstrual pain is something that joins women around the globe. Women have tried many methods to ease the pain and some have actually brought relief. One thing you may not have tried yet is treating menstrual pain with magnet therapy.

You know what menstrual cramps are; those mild contractions or aches and pains in your lower abdomen. Normally they occur right before menstruation starts and last a few days. For some women the monthly discomfort is more than they can bear but they don’t want to use medications to ease the pain. Magnetic therapy has been used to treat a variety of aches and pains.

Magnets create a field around them and some believe the magnetic field can block pain. This may be because the pain signals are blocked from ever reaching the brain. The effect is relief from menstrual cramps so you can go about your day free of pain.

Find several static magnets. These are magnets which create an unchanging field. Once they are placed on the body you won’t have to worry about their effectiveness changing. Static magnets are similar to ones you might find to stick messages to your refrigerator; however, you’ll probably want to find static magnets specifically made for easing pain.

As with any self-treatment you do at home, be sure to read the instructions. For menstrual cramps, you’ll want to attach the magnets to your clothing, as close to the skin as possible. This may mean sewing the magnets into the underwear so they are located near the area of pain.

You may need three to six sessions of using the magnets before you notice the pain subsiding. Keep the magnets in place only for the recommended time. This will ensure you don’t become used to the magnets which could decrease how effective they are. For the magnets to be the most effective, take them off as instructed and leave them off until told to put them on again.

Obviously your life will have to go on while you’re using magnet therapy. Remove the magnets prior to eating and then wait for at least an hour after you’ve eaten to avoid interfering with digestion. Magnets may not allow muscles in your digestive system to work properly, so it’s important to leave them off while eating and after so your food digests.

People using pacemakers or other devices such as defibrillators, insulin pumps, or liver infusion pumps should avoid magnets. Magnetic fields may affect the way the device works and could cause serious health conditions.

Menstrual pain isn’t something you have to endure each month. By using traditional and non-traditional methods, such as treating menstrual pain with magnet therapy, you may find a way to end the pain you feel each month.

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Three Things They Dont Tell You About Using a Breast

Tess — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:06:54 +0000

Three Things They Dont Tell You about Using a Breast Pump for Breastfeeding

There is no doubt that breast pumps are miraculous contraptions for any mom who wants to breastfeed. They help stimulate the initial buildup of the milk supply, they work wonders if you must nurse twins, they are great if your baby does not fully empty one breast, and they are a godsend for any mom who is going back to work. Nor surprisingly, in the hospital, nurses encourage new moms to invest in breast pumps for at home use. At the same time, they also refer them to rental agencies, if it turns out that the expense of a breast pump is simply too much for the mom to handle. Unfortunately, there are three things they dont tell you about using a breast pump for breastfeeding.

First and foremost, sometimes using a breast pump hurts. This should not discourage any mom from using one of these machines, but knowing ahead of time that this is a very real possibility will actually lessen the likelihood of her quitting for fear of doing something wrong. It is not always a comfortable feeling and depending on the actual breastfeeding you may have done at the time prior to pumping, the pain and discomfort may be amplified. Soreness of the breasts should be expected, after all, you are most likely pumping three to five times daily for an ongoing period of time. Unfortunately, this point is not fully explained and thus makes women uncomfortable with the breast pump or the entire breastfeeding experience, when it is really simply something that might happen and should be treated as such.

Secondly, failure to disclose that pumping breast milk is a lot of work and requires planning as well as time spent cleaning, sanitizing, and drying the equipment discourages women from using it in the first place. Moreover, the management of the expressed milk also requires a bit of planning. After all, breastfeeding moms need to calculate how much the baby might use in the next few hours, how much can be refrigerated for a later time, and how much should be frozen for the times away from home some time in the future. This should not discourage moms from breastfeeding, but instead encourage them to early on enlist their husbands and other support persons to help out. Moreover, it is a good idea to know what the time requirements are, so that the babys needs can be met consistently.

Third and last, the consistent use of a breast pump causes breast milk to remain available for a prolonged period of time. Even after moms decide to wean their little ones from the breast and on to cows milk or formula, the breasts will continue to produce milk. This might be painful, somewhat embarrassing, and it may take a few months for the milk to finally dry up. Once again, women who are not made aware of this side effect of consistent pumping may fear that there is something wrong with their bodies, and they may continue pumping on to later on discard their breast milk.

This is not necessary and with the proper naturopathic means the milk production can be stopped. It is simply a sad state of affairs when women are kept in the dark about some of the less than pleasant aspects of breast pump use for fear that they will not breastfeed at all.

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Originally posted 2009-04-08 05:13:03.

Menstrual Cramps And Nutrition

Tess — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Women experiencing menstrual cramps may be willing to try almost anything to avoid having cramps each month. Did you know you could treat menstrual cramps with nutrition? If you’re tired of having cramps every time you have your period, how can changing your diet hurt? Learn how diet affects the severity of your menstrual cramps.

* Eat a diet consisting of a variety of foods. Low fat, high fiber diets appear to combat the salty or sweet foods women typically crave during their menstrual cycle. Besides helping avoid cravings, you’ll also have more energy and a more stable mood.

* Ensure your body is getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need by taking a multivitamin each day. Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium are particularly important before and during your monthly cycle.

* Eat more foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, swordfish, and lake trout. You may also want to add walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive oil. These foods help stabilize your mood and have an anti-inflammatory effect. They also reduce the effect of cramps because they block the production of prostaglandins.

* Add or increase the amount of flaxseeds you eat. They are very high in omega-3 fatty acids. Two teaspoons of ground flaxseeds a day will do wonders for reducing cramps. You may sprinkle them in cereal, over salad, or include them in baking. Be careful not to eat too many flaxseeds in one day, however; eating too many has been reported to cause diarrhea.

* Reduce the amount of salt you consume during your period rather than taking diuretics to avoid the bloating and swelling you may experience with your monthly cycle. Alcohol will also cause you to retain water, so avoiding it during your period will only help you.

* Increase foods rich in thiamine including cooked lentils, long-grain brown rice, Brazil nuts, pecans, spinach, cantaloupe, milk, and eggs. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic believe thiamine helps relieve cramping during menstruation.

* Eliminate trans-fatty acids, not only during your period, but for the sake of your overall health. Trans-fatty acids, found in commercially prepared pastries containing partially hydrogenated oils, may increase cramping. If you can reduce or eliminate it, you may feel some relief from cramps.

Many people don’t believe changing your eating habits can affect whether or not you get menstrual cramps or the severity of them. But it is possible for menstrual cramps to be reduced by eating some foods and avoiding others.

If it is possible to treat menstrual cramps with nutrition, why don’t more women use this method? Part of the reason is that they are not aware of the role nutrition plays in their well-being. Now that you know about menstrual cramps and nutrition’s role in reducing cramps, what changes will you make?

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Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Tess — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Uterine fibroids are estimated to affect between 20 and 75% of women at some point in their lives. The variation in statistics originates from the difficulty in getting a good estimate. This is because fibroids can range in size from a minute seed that has not symptoms to a small basketball with debilitating symptoms and pain. While women who have the greater number of signs and symptoms will seek the advice and councel of their physicians other woman may not ever know of the presence of the small benign tumors growing in their uterus.

Embolization is one means of treatment for uterine fibroids tumors. This is a minimally invasive procedure during niche a physician uses an x-ray camera to guy in the delivery of small particles to the uterus and fibroids. These minute particles are injected, using a catheter, with the specific objective of blocking the arteries that provide blood flow to the tumor. This causes the fibroids to shrink and nearly 90% of women will experience relief.

At this time the effect of uterine fibroids embolization on fertility is not well understood. Researchers and physicians do know that any increase in scar tissue within the uterus will decrease the chances of conception because of the reduced space in which the placenta has to implant. Because of this uterine fibroids embolization is usually offered only to women who no longer wish to become pregnant or who want to avoid having a hysterectomy.

In the past, uterine artery embolization has been used to stop severe health the leading that was caused by a number of things, not the least of which were trauma and hemorrhaging after birth. The use of uterine fibroids embolization is a more specialized approach of uterine artery embolization in the treatment of uterine fibroids.

Prior to this procedure the surgeon will recommend specific imaging techniques to ascertain whether or not fibroids are truly the cause of the symptoms. Occasionally the physician will also request a laparoscopy and potentially do a biopsy to rule out any type of growth that is not benign, such as cancer. The physician will need to know any types of medication, over-the-counter, prescription or herbal supplements which you may be taking because they will potentially impact in the local anesthetic, general anesthetic or contrast material which will be used during the procedure.

The procedure itself is a minimally invasive one in which the physician uses a high definition floroscopic camera to visualize the introduction of a catheter into the uterine arteries which are delivering blood to be uterine fibroids. The procedure typically is performed in the cath lab or operating room of the hospital. There, the positions will be able to adequately monitor your vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure and pulse. The physician will also have access to an intravenous line placed into your veins so that sedatives may be administered or general anesthesia may be monitored.

Access to the arterial system is made at the femoral artery, located in the groin area. Using the x-ray as a guide a catheter is maneuvered to be uterine artery and the small particles are released. The woman will awaken and find only one small skin puncture in the area of the growing in order to complete the procedure. The catheter is removed and a pressure dressing is applied over the groin in order to stop any bleeding. There are no stitches required to close this puncture wound.

Many women report that they feel a slight pressure on the catheter is inserted and a warm feeling throughout the body as a contrast material is injected. Any pain or discomfort is well controlled with narcotics in the hospital and she is often allowed to go home the day after the procedure. Many women report having pelvic cramps for several days after a uterine fibroids embolization with mild nausea and a low-grade fever. The cramps are the most severe in the first 24 hours and rapidly improve in the next several days. This cramping is a result of decreased oxygen supply available to the fibroids and the subsequent deaths of the tissue.

Women will be given a prescription for pain medications to be taken by mouth which should control the discomfort and pain. Most surgeons allow their patients to return to normal activities within one to two weeks after the procedure depending upon the pre-surgical health of the individual, the extent of the fibroids embolization and the type of activities to which she is returning.

Most women report that there first period following the procedure has significantly less blood and that they may miss the first cycle altogether. Relief of the majority of symptoms will be noticeable within the first two to three weeks but it takes almost 6 months for the process to completely finish and stabilize. It will be at that point that the woman will have any symptoms resolve which will result from this procedure.

A uterine fibroids embolization is done under local anesthesia and holds much less risk than a hysterectomy which is an open procedure done under general anesthesia. Blood loss during a uterine fibroid embolization is very minimal and the recovery time is much shorter than it is for a hysterectomy. Approximately 90% of women who have had treatment on by a uterine fibroid embolization report that the majority of their symptoms have resolved completely. Several research studies which have looked at follow up with women after the procedure have noted it was rare for the fibroids to re-grow or for new fibroids to develop.

The goal of uterine fibroid embolization is to avoid having a hysterectomy. However some women must have one later because of infection or persistent symptoms that were not resolved by the procedure. However, the likelihood of this is very low, less than 1%. The question about fertility has not yet been answered but there have also been a number of reported healthy pregnancies following the procedure. Because the procedure may weekend the uterine wall surgeons recommends that a woman use contraception for the first six months and a cesarean section for delivery.

Uterine fibroid embolization carries with it very little risk and a high success rate. However, women who are allergic to the contrast material should not have this procedure done, your shoe and women whose symptoms are caused by cancer or if cancer is a possibility. Any inflammation or infection in the pelvis as well is women who have renal insufficiency will also be reasons to not perform this procedure because of the secondary side effects which can occur.

The uterine fibroid embolization procedure is a minimally invasive option for treatment of uterine fibroids in women who may wish to retain their fertility. However, much of the research does not support the idea that a woman will have a high degree of success in becoming pregnant after this procedure. For this reason most physicians look at other options for women who still want the ability to conceive a child.

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Weight Gain After Hysterectomy

Tess — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Most women anticipate several of the negative effects of undergoing a hysterectomy, including the loss of her ability to conceive and carry a child, the potential loss of hormonal balance if the ovaries are also taken and a significant six-week recovery time from the actual surgery. Unfortunately, there is another side effect from a hysterectomy that is not welcomed and often difficult to deal with. That side effect is weight gain.

In the normal course of aging each one of us continues to lose a portion of muscle mass. This lean muscle mass burns more calories at rest than does a pound of fat. The difference in the amount of lean muscle mass versus fat contributes to the decrease the number of calories required in order to continue to make the body work on a daily basis. This number is called the basal metabolic rate and describes the number of calories required in order to keep the heart, lungs, brain and remainder of the bodily organs working and functioning even while lying down in bed all day.

As we age this basal metabolic rate declines, which means that we require less calories each day then we did the day before. When we continue to eat the same number of calories we begin to gain weight and it is often referred to as middle age spread. Unfortunately, those who undergo a hysterectomy may believe that they not only are faced with this normal decline in metabolic rate but will also face an increased rate at which they gain weight due solely to the removal of her uterus and potentially ovaries.

Unfortunately, most physicians are not adequately prepared to assist women following the removal of the uterus in the area of weight loss. It is not enough to simply tell women that they must eat less and exercise more in order to regain their youthful appearance. At this point in their life they are experiencing more than just weight gain and this is only one of the added stressors in their life.

A combination of the reduction in the level of estrogen in the body with recovery time from the hysterectomy and loss of lean muscle mass all comes together to cause a greater amount of weight gain. Interestingly, many women also experience that weight gain in the abdomen.

Another contributing factor is that most hysterectomies are done when a woman is between the age of 40 and 50. This again is the time in life when a woman would normally experience a slower metabolic rate and an increased risk of gaining weight.

Although weight gain after a hysterectomy is a relatively common the reasons why a woman gains weight after her hysterectomy it is not couched in magic or mystery and is truly related to her age, lower lean body muscle mass and her potentially decreased amounts of estrogen blood levels. By addressing these issues through reduced calorie intake, strength training to increase the amount of lean body muscle mass and support with other women who have found success in maintaining their weight most women are able to successfully achieve the lifestyle they desire.

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What Are Fibroids

Tess — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

What are fibroids? Between 20 and 75% of women will experience the effects of fibroids in their lifetime. Although many women understand the symptoms they don’t know the origin of this condition. Fibroids are benign smooth muscle tumors that have fiber is connections. They happen in the uterine wall muscle and can range in size from a microscopic seed to the size of small basketball. As you might imagine the larger these fibroids grow the more they will affect a woman’s body and have significant changes in her overall health.

The medical term for uterine fibroids is a leiomyomata (lie-oh-my-oh-mah-tah). Fibroids can grow as a single growth or can occur in groups within the uterus. As they grow larger and heavier the symptoms they incur are also larger. Women will have feelings of heaviness in the public region as well as urinary urgency and frequency because of the size and weight of the uterus on the bladder. Larger fibroids can also cause constipation and pelvic pain as well as increasing amounts of monthly menstrual bleeding leading to anemia.

At this time researchers are not able to pinpoint a conclusive or definitive reason why fibroids grow in who gets them. But they do know there are significant risk factors for some women to get fibroid tumors. Fibroids are more common in women who are in their 30s and 40s, who are African-American or African Canadian and who have women in their own families who have suffered from fibroid tissue.

Women who are obese have a slightly higher risk for developing fibroids while women who have given birth are at a lower risk than women who have never had children. Researchers also know that fibroid growth and maintenance is dependent upon the presence of the hormone estrogen.

Doctors classify the type of fibroid a woman is experiencing based upon the location of the fibroid within the uterus. These tumors can grow underneath the lining of the uterus, on the inside of the cavity, between the muscles or on the outside of the uterus. The most common fibroids are those that are present within the wall of the uterus and not within the cavity or on the outside.

Fibroids continue to increase in number of those diagnosed as the years progressed. We do know that they decrease in size and may disappear during perimenopause and menopause. We also know that a woman has one fibroid they usually have another.

Thankfully fibroid tumors are not cancers and they are not pre-cancerous. They are totally benign overgrowth that occur in the uterus and uterine wall. They do affect the health and daily lives of many women and can be very frustrating to live with. Many women who have fibroids also do not have symptoms and the tumors may be picked up during the regular pelvic examination. Because they are benign tumors most doctors made no recommendation for treatment unless the woman begins to suffer symptoms.

One of the most significant symptoms a woman experiences its heavy menstrual bleeding each month. The bleeding often includes large clots and lasts beyond the usual five to seven days. This heavy amount of bleeding that lasts for longer periods of time has a secondary side effect, anemia. This results in fatigue, shortness of breath and a low blood counts that places the individual at higher risk for illness, infection and in the long-term, cardiac side effects.

Anemia affects the daily living abilities of any woman who suffers from it. She will struggle to do daily activities, climb stairs or exercise and the condition will affect the long term ability of the hear to pump adequately and effectively.

Anemia decreases the ability of the cells to gain the oxygen they need to survive. Because the heart is responsible for pumping the blood and the blood doesn’t have enough oxygen the heart must work harder to pump more. This increased workload on the muscle that also requires oxygen can cause long-term problems if the anemia isn’t addressed and the blood counts brought back to normal range.

Addressing the fibroids will ultimately cure the anemia but in the meantime women can eat a diet higher in iron, take iron supplementation and decrease their activity level to decrease the workload on the heart.

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Endometrial Ablation

Tess — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Uterine fibroids affect between 30% and 75% of women who are between the ages of 30 and 50. The difference in statistics is the result of the severity of symptoms which may or may not bring a woman to her gynecologist for treatment. Symptoms which are common in women who have uterine fibroids include feelings of heaviness in the pelvic region, heavy menstrual bleeding, urinary tract symptoms and pain and discomfort. One option for treatment is an endometrial ablation.

In a study published in July 2006 In the Journal of Reproductive Medicine researchers published their findings and discovered that endometrial ablation is more cost-effective for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding than is oral contraceptives or hysterectomy.

The procedure, endometrial ablation, was first described in the literature in 1980 and used a hysterocopic view to perform the procedure. Using this procedure a surgical device is inserted through the vagina, the cervix and into the uterus. The procedure removes the lining of the uterus to help decrease menstrual flow or stop it completely. This lining is normally lost on a monthly basis during the menstrual period. The procedure does not require hospitalization and most women can return to normal activities within a day or two. The procedure is an alternative to hysterectomy.

Following the initial development of the procedure second generation techniques are being developed to overcome the shortcomings that surgeons find with a hysterocopic view while continuing to keep the recovery time short. One such technique is currently approved by the US FDA is a hot water balloon. Other techniques are in testing and in process of becoming approved. These techniques are more advanced and less invasive and they also carry less risk and women are finding that outcomes are better.

One such technique is the microwave endometrial ablation technique. Early case studies use general anesthesia but it is currently being done under local anesthetic in the office. Those procedures done in the office have a greater risk because the uterus is not visualized during the procedure. A comparison study of a microwave endometrial ablation procedure with other standard procedures using balloon technology showed that 94% of the patients were satisfied with the MEA. Using an MEA there is a 10% repeat surgical procedure rate 12 months following the initial one. More studies are needed in order to determine if the procedure has acceptable risk done in the gynecologist office.

Physicians choose to begin treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding using the least invasive options available, which are oral contraceptives. In one study researchers found that contraceptives reduced menstrual bleeding by only 47%. Unfortunately once women stopped using oral contraceptives a heavy bleeding returned. Women who undergo endometrial ablation may use oral contraceptives for three months in order to help reduce menstrual bleeding flow.

Long-term follow-up studies of women who have undergone endometrial ablation find that five years after treatment 95% of the women still report normal bleeding or less. It has a high rate of success for treatment of heavy periods but can effectively eliminate the chances of having any children. For this reason the procedure is not recommended for women who have not yet completed their families.

Risks from the procedure also can include blood loss, heat burns to the internal organs, electrical burns, perforation of the uterus (all whole in the uterine wall) or leakage of the heat fluid from the balloon. The risks are very real as the surgeon requires enough heat to remove a full thickness of the uterine lining with the superficial myometrium. To decrease the risk of bleeding in perforation it is necessary to destroy tissue up to 5 mm deep.

This procedure is a significant advancement in the treatment of heavy menstrual flow for women who want to keep their uterus and are sure that they have finished their families. Recovery time is significantly less than it is for hysterectomies and it does not carry with it side effect of early menopause. Whether ovaries are removed during a hysterectomy or not, the surgical procedure of the hysterectomy will cause a woman to experience menopause earlier than she would have normally.

Uterine endometrial ablation carries with it much less risk, a shorter recovery time and the ability to go through menopause when her body was already pre-programmed to achieve this milestone.

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Fibroids During Menopause

Tess — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Fibroids are benign tumors that 30% of women will experience at some point in their life time. Many of these fibroids do not cause any symptoms at all while other women suffer from debilitating symptoms that keep them from involving themselves in social situations. These tumors take up space in the uterus. Unfortunately, because more and more women are delaying their childbearing until their late 30s these fibroids tumors are affecting fertility.

Researchers now understand that these fibroids tumors are dependent upon estrogen levels in the blood. In other words, estrogen hormone is required to be present in order for these tumors to continue to grow and expand. There are five different types of fibroid tumors that are named for the area of the uterus in which they are located.

Fibroid tumors are actually excessive growth in the muscle of the uterine wall. They are not cancers and are not believed to be precancerous. In other words, they do not grow into a tumor that may spread to another part of the body. In very, very rare cases fibroids that begin to grow very rapidly can become cancerous.

In many cases these fibroid tumors begin to resolve or decrease as a woman enters menopause. Women who develop fibroids during menopause, or after menopause, are at greater risk for developing fibroids that are precancerous.

Interestingly it turns out that fibroids and menopause have usually been mutually exclusive. This is because the levels of estrogen in the body fall dramatically during menopause and therefore no longer stimulate the growth of the fibroid tumors. This loss of hormonal stimulation usually leads to the demise, or death, of these tumor growths.

Although some researchers believe that 30% of women will experience fibroids in their lifetime others believe that this number is much higher because many women will not experience symptoms at all. Fibroid can be the size of a microscopic seed or exceed the size of a small basketball. It is easy to see why tiny tumors may not be noticed on examination nor will produce any symptoms in women that are recognizable.

Scientists are still unsure of how and why fibroids grow. Physicians have found that those who grow after menopause have a higher potential of becoming cancerous and that fibroids are dependent upon estrogen for stimulation. Researchers have also identified the specific risk factors that increase the potential that a woman will experience fibroids in her later years. They appear to be more common among African Americans or African Canadian women, suggesting that there may be a genetic link. Women who have close female relatives also have fibroids are more likely to develop tumors that results in symptoms.

Women who experience fibroids often have heavy menstrual bleeding that can result in anemia. They will also have feelings of heavy pressure in the lower abdomen, bladder problems, bowel problems and lower back pain. Some women will experience constipation, bloating, pain and pain during intercourse. When the fibroids grow large it is very possible to feel a hard spot in the center of the abdomen where the fibroids are sitting.

Some researchers now hold a theory that xenoestrogens, a molecule similar in structure to estrogen, and meets, pesticides and plastics have impacted the number of women who are suffering from fibroids. There has been an increase in the number of women who continue to have difficulty with fibroids following menopause which may be linked to the increased amount of formal that they continue to ingest from milk, meat, dairy and pesticides long after menopause has come and gone.

Menopause and fibroids have always been mutually exclusive because of the dependence of fibroids on the presence of estrogen. Unfortunately, because of the amount of estrogen, or xenoestrogens, that is available in diets very and environmental orifices some women continue to experience tumors that do not reduce in size.

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What Is a Full Hysterectomy?

Tess — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

A hysterectomy is a serious surgery that is sometimes required in the course of treatment. It may be a recommended protocol for benign conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease or uterine fibroids, or it may be recommended for something as serious as cancer. Whether a full or partial hysterectomy, a woman will no longer be able to conceive and have children and it may induce premature menopause. Some studies have also shown that it can also trigger severe depression.

There are two primary types of hysterectomy. The first is a partial hysterectomy which generally involves the removal of the uterus only. This is the preferred method when it is an available option because it leaves the ovaries and hormonal balance and attacked. However, in the case of an aggressive cancer it is not an option left open to women.

A full, or radical, hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus, ovaries and sometimes the cervix. Almost immediately the woman will be thrown into premature menopause and hormone replacement therapy is highly recommended, especially for younger women. The loss of the ovaries has a serious side effect to the hormonal balance in a woman’s body but, it is the best treatment for an aggressive form of cancer where spreading to the rest of the reproductive tract is too high of a risk.

Following a full hysterectomy most women find that they are able to enjoy the same sex life they enjoyed prior to surgery. In some instances there may be enough scar tissue that intercourse becomes uncomfortable, but for the most part physicians can correct that problem if necessary. The ability of the woman to enjoy her sex life will often depend upon the stage of life in which a full hysterectomy was performed as well as the preparation prior to surgery.

Another issue which must be addressed prior to surgery is the recovery time from a full hysterectomy. This recovery time can take up to six weeks during which the woman should be resting and not do any heavy lifting. Unfortunately, this may also mean that she has plenty of time to get bored. Without the ability to go back to work or consistently leave the house (because of driving limitations in the first four to six weeks) she should spend time preparing for her recovery period prior to having surgery.

With the advances in health care and technology many women are surprised by how smooth the recovery period seems to go. Physicians will often start their patience almost immediately on hormone replacement therapy because they will go through an immediate withdrawal with the removal of the ovaries. These hormones help to stabilize a woman’s body as she is accommodating to the surgical procedure and recovery time necessary.

Surgical menopause continues to be a difficult process for a woman, even when hormonal replacement is used. Some symptoms will show up immediately while others will come on within the first six months after surgery. Some women have also found better results using bio identical hormone replacement which is different from standard hormone replacements. It needs to be thoroughly researched by the individual however because physicians are not well educated in this arena. The use of bio identical hormones can have some significant side effects in must be addressed both realistically and responsibly.

When a hysterectomy is necessary because of abnormal bleeding the woman will also find that she will quickly regains her blood counts so that she is no longer anemic. This also contributes to the perception that recovery time is going well and smoothly.

However, it is highly important that the woman not over do her activity level before being cleared by her surgeon is in order that she not cause more long-term problems by overdoing it.

A full hysterectomy can also results in a significant weight gain that is usually associated with menopause. However, since the surgery has put the woman’s body into surgical menopause she also has the added disadvantage of slowing her metabolism down significantly and increasing the amount of weight that she gains, eating the same food she ate before.

The emotional aftereffects of a full hysterectomy can also be debilitating. Because our society’s image of what a “whole” woman looks like it can have a dramatic effect on her self image and how she feels about herself. For some women who wanted more children this can have a debilitating effect on her ability to function on a daily basis, and sadly may lead to clinical depression.

The use of a full hysterectomy is often contemplated only for aggressive disease processes which have significantly negative outcomes themselves, such as cancer. With adequate pre-surgical preparation, counseling, education and postsurgical support most women are able to continue to function well.

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Hot Flashes After Hysterectomy

Tess — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Many women will suffer from hot flashes whether her menopause was surgically induced, such as after a hysterectomy, or if menopause happens as a natural process. Research has found that women who have had a partial hysterectomy, when the ovaries were left intact, will experience menopause earlier than if they had not had a hysterectomy. Those who have their ovaries removed during surgery will experience a menopause immediately. Women who have had a hysterectomy will also more often experience hot flashes immediately after surgery but it will not necessarily indicate that they are in menopause. Taking out the uterus from the body will cause significant changes to take place that often trigger hot flashes.

Hot flashes are a sensation of intense heat, usually in the upper part of the body. Most women will also experience a rapid heartbeat, flushing of the chest and sometimes heavy sweating that can last between 30 seconds to five minutes. These hot flashes can occur any time of the day or night. Some women are awakened during the night and find that their bed sheets are completely saturated with sweat, while other women are unable to get through a business meaning without fanning themselves and turning red.

No one knows exactly what causes these hot flashes but researchers theorize that the purpose is probably to increase the heat in the regulatory area of the brain and that this upset has occurred because of the changes in hormonal balance in the body. One current theory is that the lack of estrogen is responsible for the malfunction of the heat regulatory center that causes the blood vessels in the skin to dilate so heat can be released.

Many women can treat their hot flashes using natural methods. This means that they do not have to resort to pharmaceutical intervention in order to adjust their system enough to decrease the number of hot flashes they are experiencing. Other triggers can also increase the number and intensity of hot flashes that a woman experiences. By decreasing or avoiding these triggers she can also decrease the intensity and quantity of hot flashes.

Some of these triggers include hot spicy food, hot showers, hot drinks, hot rooms, hot food, hot weather, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, anger, stress and diet pills. If you’ll notice, the majority of these common triggers are factors that affect the heat in the body.

Many women find relief when wearing clothing that is made of natural fibers and “breathe” allowing good air exchange. Although counterintuitive, increasing your activity level will actually decrease the amount and intensity of hot flashes. This means that although exercise will increase your body temperature it somehow decreases the frequency of hot flashes that women experience by almost half.

Women who have not stopped smoking should stop smoking, avoid alcohol and completely eliminate caffeine, sugar and spicy foods from their diet. These lifestyle choices help to bring the body back into balance and decrease the number of hot flashes you experience. Try carrying a portable hand fan in your purse to cool down when the hot flash occur and, wherever and whenever possible, turn down the thermostat in the room you are in.

Women who drink lots of cold water and eat a diet balanced with proteins, fruits, vegetables and fiber also find that they experience hot flashes in lower numbers and less intensity. Use a fan in your bedroom at night to keep the airflow going as well as bed sheets and blankets that allow air exchange.

Although hormone replacement therapy used to be a popular option but most women are now opting out is of this form of supplementation to decrease menopausal symptoms. This is due to the significant link that researchers have made between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer, uterine cancers stroke and heart attack. And, although it may seem that increasing your estrogen levels through supplementation would help decrease your hot flashes it does not appear to be the case.

Another way some women have found to decrease the number of hot flashes they experience is by including soy products in their diet. It appears that the soy which comes from food, and not supplementation, works better. Soy is a natural estrogen and thought to decrease hot flashes when combined with 400 to 800 international units of vitamin E. The additional benefit of vitamin E. is that it helps to strengthen the immune system and protect the heart.

Another new product on the market is Remifemin, a proprietary blend of black cohosh grown specifically for the manufacturing company. This is an herbal remedy which has long been used to help treat hot flashes.

If the particular hot flashes a woman is experiencing is more severe or not alleviated by any of the other over-the-counter preparations or natural remedies physicians may decide to prescribe gabapentin. This is a raw that normally used in neurological conditions. Researchers who published their findings in 2000 in the issue of Neurology found that women who took gabapentin also had an 87% reduction in hot flashes. The prescription of this drug for this reason would be considered “off label” because it is not currently approved by the food and drug administration for this particular use. Although the study was small it was promising and requires more research to confirm the results.

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Learning About Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Tess — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

A hysterectomy is the second most common surgery which women undergo each year. The easiest form of this surgery from which women may recover quickly is a laparoscopic hysterectomy. This is a relatively new procedure that physicians use to remove the uterus through a small incision made at the top of the vagina. In other words, it requires no open abdominal incision and no long recovery time. During a laparoscopic hysterectomy the doctor uses a small camera that is attached to a telescope inside the body to see the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

One advantage of the procedure is that the incisions are small and the recovery is very quick. The hospital stay is usually around 1 day as opposed to an abdominal hysterectomy which requires 2 days in the hospital. Women who undergo laparascopic surgery will also be back to their normal activities within 2 weeks instead of the usual 6 weeks estimated for an abdominal hysterectomy.

During a laparoscopic procedure the surgeon can release the blood vessels and the uterus before removing the uterus through the vagina. This will prevent the potential damage to the bladder and intestines if the uterus has been damaged from endometriosis or pelvic scar tissue.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy also requires a considerable amount of skill and experience on the part of the surgeon. When a laparoscopic hysterectomy is performed the cervix may not also be removed. Prior to 1940 the cervix was always removed during a hysterectomy in order to prevent cervical cancer. However, today physicians recognize the structural stability which the cervix plays in support of the ureters, bladder and intestines. Since 1940 there have been improvements in the techniques used to treat and diagnose cervical cancer such as antibiotic use, Pap smears and anesthesia changes. This means that removal of the cervix is no longer essential for all women.

Each year approximately 650,000 women nationwide will undergo a hysterectomy for a variety of different “female” problems that include abnormal heavy bleeding, fibroids, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cancer and endometriosis. The laparoscopic procedure was pioneered by a gynecologist in the early 1960s who used it in a range of conditions such as tubal ligations, removal of the ovaries and fibroids in the treatment of tubal pregnancies. Laparoscopy is also used by physicians in other fields to remove or repay her gallbladder, appendix, hernias and on surgeries in the lungs, bowel and bladder.

Preparation for a laparoscopic hysterectomy is simple and requires only a physical examination by the primary care physician to clear the woman for anesthesia and that she not eat anything after midnight the night before. Women will have a shorter recovery time and will be able to resume sexual activity more quickly than with an abdominal approach.

Unfortunately no matter how the surgical procedure is performed the woman will continue to have the same side effects of any woman who has a hysterectomy. These side effects include early menopause and symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and decrease sexual drive. Some treatment options for these symptoms are natural and others require medications from your physician. The best option for any woman is to start with a natural treatment and move towards pharmaceutical medications. This helps to decrease the number of side effects a woman will experience from the different treatment options she will use. For instance, some women find significant relief from their hot flashes by changing their nutritional intake and paying attention to their external environment.

A laparoscopic hysterectomy approach will help to decrease recovery time, decrease costs and decrease surgical risk for women who must undergo a hysterectomy for treatment of their underlying medical conditions. Discuss your total options with your primary care physician and surgeon so that you are able to make the best informed choice possible.

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Laser Treatment for Uterine Fibroids

Tess — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

The side effects from uterine fibroids cause many women to suffer from pain and discomfort as well as other debilitating symptoms, keeping them from enjoying many social occasions. These are benign growths that happen in the uterus and can be microscopic in size or grow to the size of a small basketball. Symptoms include pain, discomfort, heavy bleeding, anemia, constipation, swollen abdomen and urinary tract issues. The symptoms, while not life-threatening, are very uncomfortable and many women also experienced decreased fertility when the fibroids distort the structure of the uterus or block the entrance to the Fallopian tubes.

Treatment for these fibroids has been limited to hysterectomies and endometrial ablation, both of which effectively terminate the ability of a woman to continue her family. Improvements in the surgical procedures have opened up several other options which may decrease the size and scarring caused by the fibroids.

Women now have another treatment option, laser, to decrease their pain, discomfort and any force changes to their lifestyle. In a study published in the Journal of Human Reproduction researchers described a study using laser treatment developed from St. Mary’s Hospital, London and the London school of hygiene And Tropical Medicine. The research technique does not require general anesthesia and allows the procedure to be done as an outpatient.

During this particular laser treatment to effectively eliminate fibroids the surgeon uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every three seconds to guide the laser which is used to “zap” the fibroids with heat energy in order to kill them.

This type of laser treatment has been shown to decrease the size of the fibroids by up to one third only three months after the procedure. Women who returned for further evaluation note 40% reduction in the size of their uterine fibroids after one year. Researchers have used this procedure on individuals who have completed their families but want to avoid the side effects of a hysterectomy. Hysterectomies will often cause a surgically induced menopause, even when the ovaries remain intact.

Researchers now believe that this procedure is very promising for women who want to preserve their fertility but whose symptoms cause significant issues in their lifestyle or are impacting their fertility. The laser treatment is also called myolysis. The concept is to coagulate the blood supply to the fibroids using the laser which will cause them to lose blood supply, shrink and die.

Uterine fibroids are “fed” by estrogen levels in a woman’s body. This means that as she approaches menopause the size of the fibroid is naturally decreased as the level of estrogen in the bloodstream also naturally decreases. The natural history of developments and deaths of uterine fibroids may give women greater options to choose from if they are closer to menopause age then if they are younger.

Women who have four or more fibroids which measure 5 cm or more are not candidates for the laser treatment. An 8 cm fibroid will take approximately 30 minutes to treat. Most physicians will give drugs for three to six months prior to the plan procedure in an attempt to medically shrink the fibroids. While this pharmaceutical option is successful in the short term it is not a long-term option for women because the drugs used often leads calcium out of the bones and cause premature or osteoporosis. If the uterine fibroids do not shrink by approximately 30% using the drug therapy then the surgeon will not attempt a myolysis.

Laser treatment for uterine fibroids is a new option for women that may be able to maintain fertility for some and will keep the uterus intact for all. Any woman who has uterine fibroids should discuss all of her options with her surgeon before making a decision that will affect the rest of her life. Women should only speak with surgeons who are willing to give them all of the options available and discuss them openly and honestly so that she is able to make an informed decision.

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Myomectomy

Tess — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Fibroids are benign tumors that grow inside the uterus. They can grow inside the uterine wall, inside the uterine cavity or outside the uterus and attached to the outside wall. They happened most often in women who are in their 30s and 40s in these tumors are more commonly not cancerous.

Doctors will use physical examination, medical history, alters sound or hysterosalpingogram to confirm diagnosis, or the presence of uterine fibroids. Often times women know they are having these problems because of the symptoms which these fibroids cause. Women who have large fibroids will experience a heavy feeling in their pelvis which often leads to constipation or urinary frequency, women will also have difficulty with increased bleeding and a resulting anemia.

A myomectomy is the surgical removal of the fibroid tumor itself and is the preferred treatment for women who want to retain their uterus and their fertility. A larger tumor will require the use of an abdominal incision while smaller fibroids have been removed using a laparoscopic techniques or hysteroscopy.

This myomectomy is an alternative to hysterectomy and can be effective for treatment of infertility caused by the fibroids. Women find that it relieves the symptoms that have not responded well to medication and will not have the same difficulty with infertility that a uterine fibroid embolization will have.

There are risks to removal of the fibroids using a myomectomy procedure that can lead to severe bleeding. Because this is a challenging surgical procedure not all physicians are adept at it. Many physicians will recommend that the patient bank their own blood before his surgery so they can use a self transfusion. The surgeon usually also requests a consent form for hysterectomy should the surgery go awry.

A myomectomy surgical procedure can be done using a laparoscopic cut, bikini cut or vertical cut from naval to the pubic bone. The surgeon decides upon the type of incision based upon the positioning of the fibroids and the size of the tumor. A particular type of incision will not impact fertility.

Many physicians will use a period of preparation for patients you are planning a myomectomy. Hormonal treatments with drugs such as Lupron will shrink the tumors for two to six months prior to the surgery. In addition to potentially shrinking the fibroids, Lupron will also stop the menstrual periods or decrease them significantly. This will help a woman to rebuild her blood count if she is suffering from anemia prior to surgery.

Recovery time for a myomectomy can range from three days to six weeks depending upon the way in which the surgery was performed and the surgical approach or incision line. If a hysteroscope was use the recovery time can be as little as three to four days but if a full abdominal myomectomy was planned recovery can be as long as five to six weeks.

Potential complications are similar to those of most other surgeries and include infection, blood loss, internal scarring and adverse reactions to the anesthesia. In addition to this the wall of the uterus can also be weekends so special care must be made for future pregnancies, such as a Caesarean delivery.

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Natural Remedies for Fibroids

Tess — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that are made up mostly of smooth muscle and fiber is connections. These types of tumors generally do not cause cancer or are not considered pre-cancerous. However, because they are dependent upon the hormone estrogen, any fibroid tumor found to be growing quickly or after menopause can signal a pre-cancerous state.

Uterine fibroids can be microscopic in size and cause absolutely no symptoms or become the size of a small basketball. As they grow larger the symptoms will disrupt the life of a woman and cause feelings of heaviness in the public region, urinary frequency, constipation, pain with sexual intercourse and heavy menstrual bleeding that often leads to anemia.

Physicians have several pharmaceutical options that are short-term alternatives in order to shrink fibroids before a more permanent surgical solution. These permanent solutions are usually endometrial ablation, uterine artery or uterine fibroids embolization, laser treatment and hysterectomy. However, most of these options do not retain the fertility for the woman or they cost a permanent loss of the uterus.

Some women are more interested in beginning with natural remedies to treat their fibroids which may help to decrease the size of the tumors and reduce the symptoms. Most often these symptoms will reduce completely as a woman enters menopause and her natural blood levels of estrogen drop. During this period in time the size of the fibroids also decreases significantly. Most natural remedies for fibroids may decrease the symptoms but they do not usually get rid of the tumors.

The least invasive type of treatment is called watchful waiting. When the tumor is causing no symptoms and they do not grow quickly physicians usually advise the patient to have a physical examination every six to 12 months to measure the growth of the tumors. Physicians also look at physical examination and medical history during these intervals in order to determine whether or treatment protocols should be advanced. If a woman experiences abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding and resulting anemia several dietary and supplemental changes can be recommended to increase the levels of iron and help the body maintain blood levels.

Dietary supplements of iron include spinach, beans, peas, dried fruits, nuts, organ meats and fish. Unfortunately the iron in meat can be poorly absorbed and also caused growth of the fibroids because of the growth hormones fed to the animals before slaughter. These growth hormones are very similar in molecular structure to estrogen, which stimulates the growth of fibroids. For this reason it is better to increase the dietary supplementation of whole fruits and vegetables to increase iron than it is to increase the amount of meat eaten.

Vitamin C can also help to increase the absorption of iron which will help to decrease the problem with anemia. Regular vitamin C does not appear to have a significant effect on iron stores. Interestingly, nutritionists have found that one orange or 6 ounces of orange juice can double the amount of iron the body absorbs from plant sources.

Another dietary supplement that helps the body to produce more hemoglobin and reduce the incidence of anemia is B12 and folate. B12 and folate are both added to dried commercial cereals and bread products and can also be found in the avocados, bananas, orange juice and green leafy vegetables.

Prevention is the best medicine. By avoiding meat that has been injected with growth hormone, most plastic storage containers and pesticides which contain xenoestrogens women can reduce the rate of growth of the fibroid tumors. Many women who have eliminated or significantly reduced the amount of meat in their diet have found relief from their symptoms as the extra estrogen no longer stimulates the growth of the tumors.

Other women have found relief from pelvic pain and heaviness using acupuncture and yoga. Each of these alternatives does not offer relief from heavy menstrual periods but it does help with the physical discomfort associated with large fibroids. Others also find relief using black cohosh which has some significant research behind it showing improvements with hot flashes. Although these remedies offer relief in the feelings of pelvic heaviness they do little to stem the heavy monthly menstrual flow and do not cure the fibroids.

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Options for Uterine Fibroids Treatments

Tess — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Uterine fibroids can be the size of a microscopic seed or grow to the size of a small basketball. The good news is that these tumors are almost always benign. This means that they do not lead to cancer. The bad news is that researchers are still not sure of the complete impact they have all infertility. Researchers do know that fibroids which grow inside the uterine cavity have the greatest impact on fertility. And they know that symptoms of uterine fibroids can cause debilitating pain and discomfort as well as constipation, heavy periods, urinary tract disorders and anemia.

Approximately 75% of women are able to live with the symptoms of their uterine fibroids without too much difficulty. However, researchers estimate that the other 25% of women suffer with chronic low blood counts (anemia), intolerable pain, constipation and significant lifestyle changes brought about by their symptoms. These are the women who are searching for treatment for their fibroids that makes sense in their current lifestyles.

Many of these fibroids grow to size which requires treatment when women reach their 30s and 40s, sometimes at a point when they are just trying to become pregnant. As women delay their childbearing years in an effort to improve their career choices they are running into difficulty with fibroids that impacts their fertility. The traditional treatment option, a full hysterectomy, will remove the uterus and permanently and a woman’s whole of conception. This is not an acceptable option for women who would like to stay intact or who have not yet completed their families.

Because of improvements in medical technology there are now other fibroid treatment options that allow women to maintain fertility and are available on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. Fibroid tumors often shrink when a woman completes menopause because they are dependent upon the estrogen in the bloodstream which is available in women prior to menopause. Researchers have also found that the tumors develop more often after the age of 35 and rarely before the age of 20.

Surgeons often have a preference of one type of treatment over the other based upon their experience with the treatment option and there success rates. However, it is important that the woman is aware of all the options available so that she can make an informed choice about the treatment option that is best for her lifestyle.

In the early stages of development a woman is often not aware that she has fibroids. In fact, the physician may also not be aware if the tumors are small enough to not be picked up on physical examination. Sometimes women have no symptoms at all in the physician will find the fibroid tumors during an annual pelvic examination. In these early stages the best option is just watchful waiting. If there are no symptoms or the fibroids are not located near the openings to the vagina or fallopian tubes there is no need to start treatment in order to attempt pregnancy.

Women should however, monitor the growth of these tumors. In some women there isn’t growth and they never required treatments nor suffer significant symptoms. In other women the tumors will consistently grow over time and they will required treatments that may significantly reduce their chances of becoming pregnant.

Alternative medicine physicians may offer a natural fibroid treatment options that are designed to decrease the symptoms that women feel with fibroids but, unfortunately, have not been shown to decrease the size of the tumors in any clinical trials. These options include changing your diet to reduce red meat or pork, nutritional supplementation and herbal remedies. Some women find it tempting to mix and match supplements and herbal remedies but without guidance from a practitioner who is well versed in the side effects of these chemicals you will soon become frustrated with the results. While you would not dream of mixing and matching prescription medications you should also not attempt this with natural remedies unless you have the assistance of a practitioner who is knowledgeable.

Pharmaceutical treatment options include the use of birth control pills that help stop excessive bleeding caused by the fibroids. However, they do have potentially dangerous side effects such as high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. While birth controls have limited relief on the symptoms, once they have been stopped the fibroids tend to grow back in force.

Another option in the pharmaceutical arsenal of treatment options is a class of drugs called GnRH agonists. These are actually hormones used to decrease the production of estrogen which is then reduces the size of the fibroids. This is a short-term treatment (three to six months) because it also can cause rapid bone loss leading to osteoporosis. The best use of this treatment is to decrease the size prior to a planned minimally invasive procedure or to allow for a vaginal hysterectomy.

Uterine artery embolization or uterine fibroid embolization are procedures done in the x-ray department by an interventional radiologist. I catheter is inserted into the femoral artery and manipulated to be uterine artery wear it delivers mechanical blocks that clot the blood supply to the fibroid. The procedure takes approximately 1 hour and data suggests that women are able to return to work within 10 to 14 days. This particular option preserves the uterus and attempts to preserve as much fertility as possible.

Other surgical procedures include a hysterectomy which can be done either vaginally or abdominally. The end result of either route is a loss of fertility. Recovery time in the pain associated with each procedure, however, is vastly different. If the uterus is small enough positions will opt to do a vaginal approach which will decrease recovery time and improve pain control.

Hysterectomies can also be total, meaning removal of the cervix as well as the uterus and ovaries, subtotal which leaves the cervix or partial which only removes the uterus. A radical hysterectomy in which the cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries are also removed with the uterus, is usually reserved for cancer situation in which the spread of the cancer cells is a higher risk that must be addressed.

Another option is a myomectomy which is the surgical removal of the fibroids themselves while keeping the uterus intact. This works well for each either fibroids which are growing outside the uterus or those which are growing inside the uterus. Those fibroids which are growing inside the wall of the uterus do not respond as well to a myomectomy while still retaining fertility. This is a surgically challenging procedure and is not performed by all physicians.

There are several treatment options now available to maintain fertility and at the same time decrease symptoms. By becoming knowledgeable about the treatment options women have better options to maintain their current lifestyle.

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What Is a Partial Hysterectomy?

Tess — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:11:00 +0000

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure in which the surgeon removes part or all of a woman’s reproductive organs – uterus, cervix and ovaries. A total hysterectomy remove all of these, a radical hysterectomy also remove the fallopian tubes, top portion of the vagina and lymph nodes. In contrast a partial hysterectomy usually only removes the uterus.

Both a full and radical hysterectomy are often used for disease processes which may invade more take over all or part of the reproductive system, such as cancer or endometriosis. A partial hysterectomy is often used in the treatment of fibroids and other conditions which cause severe and uncontrollable vaginal bleeding.

A partial hysterectomy can be performed either vaginally or abdominally. This means that the uterus can be removed through the vagina in instances where it is small enough to do so. However, the most common method it is an abdominal approach which is done much like a C-section. The uterus is detached from its blood supply and the ligaments which support it and then removed from the body.

Using an abdominal approach the surgeon is able to visualize the other reproductive organs and determine whether or not there is need for others to be removed. However, there is a more significant recovery time when the procedure is done abdominally and not vaginally and there will be a significant incision that will leave a visible scar.

Unfortunately, it is impossible for a vaginal hysterectomy to remove large fibroids. The physician also finds it diffficult to visualize an approach and will often use a laparoscope in order to visualize the abdominal cavity during surgery. Anesthesia is often general for either a vaginal approach for an abdominal.

A hysterectomy is the second most common operations performed in the United States today. Approximately 556,000 of them are done annually and by age 60 1 out of every three American women will have one. Unfortunately, researchers also estimate that at least 30% of them are also unnecessary. Despite the high numbers only 10% of hysterectomies are performed to treat cancer of the cervix, uterus ovaries. The most frequent reason is the removal of fibroids tumors which accounts for 30% of the reason a hysterectomy is performed.

Another 20% of the time and hysterectomy is performed for the treatment of endometriosis. This is a condition that occurs when the cells which lined the uterus begin growing outside of the uterus. The remainder of the hysterectomies are done for heavy or abnormal bleeding and to treat a prolapsed uterus, pelvic inflammatory disease or a potentially precancerous condition.

Even though a partial hysterectomy will spare the ovaries, in other words the surgeon leaves the ovaries in place, the blood flow to these organs will gradually stop. Therefore the women will still experience side effects from hormonal changes and menopause. The consequences will include hot flashes, headaches, weight gain, urinary tract problems, decreased sex drive, irritability and osteoporosis. Other symptoms, which women reported, included depression, mood swings, dizziness and nervousness, fatigue, hair loss, headaches and heart palpitations. Women also reported symptoms that they had not experienced prior to surgery, including insomnia, joint pain, memory lapses, vaginal dryness and painful intercourse

Women who undergo a partial hysterectomy are also at risk were side effects following surgery related to the surgery itself. These can include bowel or bladder injuries or infection to those organs, adhesion, infections along the incision line, hemorrhaging and reactions to the anesthesia. Because this surgery has been done numbers of times across the United States, more surgeons are well-versed and experienced in the procedure. Hysterectomies are now relatively safe operations, although it remains a major surgery that continues to carry risks.

Although there is some concern by researchers for the number of hysterectomies which are performed, and the 30% which they believe are unnecessary, results from the Maine Woman’s Health Study revealed that 71% of the women who had had a hysterectomy to correct symptoms reported feeling better mentally, physically and sexually after the operation.

A partial hysterectomy is a permanent and irreversible surgery that may bring about unwanted side effects. More and more physicians recommend that unless there is a life-threatening condition the woman may consider other treatment options.

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Scar Tissue From Fibroids

Tess — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Uterine fibroids, also called myomas, affect between 20% and 8% of women depending upon the statistical analysis used. Many do not grow large enough to require treatment or cause any symptoms. However, they will require treatment when they cause pressure to pelvic organs, start to grow rapidly, cause abnormal bleeding or are the root problem of infertility.

Fibroids can occur in several different areas of the uterus. Most often these are tumors which grow inside the muscle of the uterine wall, called intramural. At other times they grow just below the mucosal wall, submucosal or grow within the cavity of the uterus, intra-cavity. Those that grow on the outside wall of the uterus are called subserous and some of those are connected to the uterus by a stalk, pedunculated.

The research regarding the infertility and uterine fibroids is not conclusive. Some research shows that there is no decrease in the number of women who can conceive a pregnancy while others demonstrate that fibroids affect miscarriage, premature labor and infertility. When the fibroid grows inside the cavity it will definitively have an impact on infertility and can also cause recurrent miscarriages.

Treatments for uterine fibroids will depend upon the woman’s desire to retain fertility, the woman’s age at the time she requires treatment and the number of symptoms that the tumors are causing. Uterine fibroids that are causing significant symptoms need appropriate treatment while women who have smaller fibroids with little to no symptoms may be able to go without treatment until menopause when the majority of uterine fibroids shrink.

As long as the fibroid is not within the cavity many women go on to have successful pregnancies. However, the location of the fibroid plays a strong role on how to approach them. Each of the different treatment modalities can potentially result in scar tissue on the uterine wall which significantly impacts pregnancy because over these areas the placenta cannot implant and receive any nutrition for the baby.

Scar tissue is fibrous connective tissue that occurs where an injury, cut or disease has been and then heals. The scar tissue is thicker and denser than the surrounding tissue because it also has a limited blood supply. Although scar tissue takes the place of damaged tissue it has limited function, including movement and circulation.

When scar tissue develops inside the uterus, on the uterine wall, it significantly reduces the surface area available to the developing fetus for implantation. For this reason, women who are interested in maintaining their fertility must be diligent in their choices of treatment for fibroids which may impact their fertility.

Some holistic practitioners believe that using specific enzyme therapies can help the body clear itself of scar tissue in the reproductive organs and reduce the immunological response that increases the amount scar tissue developed. This particular treatment protocol is advertised for women who suffer from uterine fibroids, inflammation, endometriosis and recurrent miscarriages. There are currently several systemic enzymes on the market, none of which have been proved through clinical trials that they are able to improve the fertility and decrease the amount and thickness of scar tissue that develops on the uterine walls from these particular medical conditions.

There are currently several surgical procedures available for the treatment of uterine fibroids, most of which will leave at least a small scar on the wall of the uterus. If your surgeon recommends any new procedure it is important for the patients to do their research into efficacy and effectiveness of the procedure. Look through peer-reviewed medical journals for studies which publish actual results. Be sure to ask questions of your provider about the outcomes that are both published and that they themselves have seen in their practice. Look at the advantages and disadvantages of all the available options before making your decision.

Uterine fibroids which are located inside the uterine cavity will almost always cause abnormal bleeding and cramping. They will also significantly impact fertility and while the removal may results in scar tissue keeping them intact will also reduce the chances that a woman will conceive. Surgical procedures can include hysteroscope or resectoscope of a myoma. In the hands of a skilled surgeon most of these can be removed in the outpatient setting.

For women who are not concerned with maintaining their fertility removal of the uterus while maintaining the integrity of the ovaries is an option which removes the large tumors from the pelvic region while maintaining her hormonal balance.

Unfortunately, uterine fibroids can also results in scar tissue on the uterine wall through minor tears or healing of the damage done by the tumors growing inside the walls. Each woman must have her situation evaluated individually in order to ascertain the damage done by the scar tissue and how it may or may not impact her fertility.