subject: Understanding Fibroid Ovarian Cysts [print this page] Enter any doctor's office and it only takes a few minutes to be thoroughly confused. You might be scrambling to keep up as the doctor or nurse throws up diagnoses and terms that are just baffling to the average patient. The ears do perk up, however, when a term like fibroid cysts enters the conversation. Most people are aware that a cyst is an abnormal mass, and those can mean cancer!
Your brain may start to race as you speculate as to what the consequences of this diagnosis may be. However, it's not the time to panic. Instead, keep calm and take the time to learn about fibroid cysts. Don't worry- they are usually completely harmless.
Understanding Fibroid Cysts
There is a great deal of confusion when dealing with the terminology surrounding fibroid cysts. In some cases, people refer to ovarian cysts using this term, especially those that are considered simple or functional.
However, according to obstetric doctors, true fibroid cysts almost always affect the uterus and not the ovaries at all. They are also sometimes given the name of fibroid tumors.
They can be present either inside the uterus, embedded within the uterine wall, or even outside the uterus, in the abdominal cavity. Either way, they are a more solid, or fibrous, mass. Uterine fibroid cysts are heavily influenced by hormones.
Women who are in their prime childbearing years are not only more likely to develop fibroid cysts, but also more likely to have an already present cyst grow significantly.
However, many women with fibroid cysts experience no symptoms; you can probably carry a pregnancy safely to term, even, unless the mass is actually within the uterine cavity.
Do You Need Treatment?
Several decades ago, women who had fibroid cysts were likely to have the medical establishment recommend a full hysterectomy as the cure for the issue. This, however, has been found to be much too extreme.
Most fibroid cysts, especially those considered stable, can remain in a woman's body with no adverse effects. If the mass begins to grow, or interferes with the normal function of surrounding organs, it can be removed, often via laparoscopic surgery.
In addition, those cysts that are within the uterus should be operated on, especially if a pregnancy is desired. In all other cases, most doctors take a hands-off approach.
What You Can Do
Obviously, fibroid cysts are not exactly considered to be a normal part of the reproductive system. They can cause a feeling of bloating as well as abdominal swelling that isn't very attractive.
Because your doctor is not likely to intervene, that introduces a distinct opportunity for women who want to take charge of their own health. There are natural and holistic ways to regulate hormones and shrink or eliminate fibroid cysts.
Recommendations might include a full spectrum of wellness-building protocols, such as dietary measures, weight loss, exercise and supplementation.
Even if surgery is necessary for one of the above reasons, you can utilize these natural methods to assist in full recovery and avoid a recurrence of your fibroid cysts.
Even though there is definitely a distinct place for medical advances, these are still some of the best options for treating unusual masses of the reproductive system, including both ovarian cysts and fibroid tumors of the uterus.
