Uterine fibroids are all too common, especially in the African American community. One of the most common signs of uterine fibroids is abnormal bleeding or the passing of clots. Many women are terrified when they see that their bleeding just doesn’t seem to stop. The visual symptoms can seem very scary. The bleeding if not controlled or stopped will cause the body to lose iron and this will lead to anemia which can be significant.

Submucosal fibroids grow just below the lining of the uterus. Because of their proximity to the uterus lining, they affect the blood vessels in the lining, which leads to heavy or prolonged bleeding.

There is another type of fibroid that is extremely common in women. This fibroid is known as an intramural fibroid and it develops within the muscular walls of the uterus. This is another culprit for heavy, prolonged bleeding. Excessive bleeding can be dangerous, inconvenient, and in some cases, can be very embarrassing.

Women often deal with excessive bleeding in various ways. Some change sanitary pads or tampons very frequently while others wear adult diapers. Getting a peaceful night’s sleep can be impossible since they need to constantly wake up to change their pads or risk soiling their bedsheets. Social events also become a nightmare since they have to constantly be conscious of the bleeding.

So how can you deal with the excessive bleeding? Many women have used natural remedies to treat fibroids including herbs such as garlic, yarrow, Echinacea, and cinnamon to treat the heavy bleeding and shrink the fibroids. Many women also consider surgical procedures like hysterectomy or uterine fibroid embolization.

Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and to discuss what treatment option may be best for you.

Until next time #GYNEGirls and #Preggos…

Dr. Drai