Homoeopathy: Forget fibroids

The uterus is an intriguing organ. A normal uterus is just about the size of a palm. Yet, it is capable of expanding to an extent that it can accommodate a full-grown baby. And sometimes, even two or more.

One of the commonest diseases that affect the uterus is fibroids. A fibroid [also called fibromyoma or leiomyoma] is a well-defined tumour of muscle fibres. It arises from the wall of the uterus or the surrounding blood vessels.

A fibroid could be present outside the uterus [attached to the wall], within the uterine cavity, or even in between the muscle layers of the uterus.

Are you at risk?

The exact cause of fibroids is not yet known, but there are some common traits linked to its occurrence. These include:

• Injury to the uterus due to trauma, accident or surgery for abortion
• Family history of fibroids
• Prolonged usage of oral contraceptives
• Puberty before 10 years of age
• Uterine infections, hypertension, alcohol consumption—these increase a woman’s tendency to develop fibroids
• Pregnancy—it increases the size of pre-existing fibroids. The size regresses post delivery and in menopause.

When to suspect fibroids?

Fibroids can go undetected for years since they often don’t display any symptoms. However, if you get abnormal periods—a sudden heavy flow, painful spotting between periods or iron deficiency anaemia with heavy periods—it may suggest fibroids.

Depending on where they are located, fibroids can cause pressure or pain symptoms. These include difficulty in urination or increased frequency of urination; constipation; blood stained discharge [in case of an infected fibroid]; infertility due to pelvic inflammation or abortion, especially if the fibroid is inside the uterine cavity; and abdominal lump, that could be painless. Such a lump slowly grows in size.

How are they diagnosed?

Fibroids are diagnosed with ultra-sonography of the pelvis. Haemoglobin levels, pelvic examination, and hysteroscopy for diagnosis of fibroids within the walls of the uterus, are other tests required to chart the treatment plan. Intra-uterine hysterosalpingography: A dye is introduced in the uterine cavity. Then X-rays of the pelvis are taken to check for location of the fibroid and rule out infertility.

Allopathy treats fibroids using small doses of hormone supplements. The treatment goes on for a minimum of five months and the results may be variable. The side-effects are hot flushes, sleep disturbances, giddiness, vaginal dryness, mood swings and osteoporosis [in the long run].

How homoeopathy treats fibroids

Homoeopathy can be called designer medicine; it varies with each individual and has to be custom-made to get the right results. A homoeopath understands your symptoms and based on the sum total of these, arrives at the best remedy for you.

Since each individual’s constitution is different, a treatment plan of every person can only be ascertained by a qualified homoeopath.

As per homoeopathy, each disease falls under a specific category [miasma], which helps in deciding the remedy. Fibroids principally feature under the sycotic category or miasma, which is responsible for ailments in sexual and urinary organs and mucous membranes producing growths or tumours.

Homoeopathic medicines work by reducing blood supply to the fibroid. Deprived of fuel, they start shrinking. Finally, they get expelled during the menstrual flow as pieces of tissue/clots.

Aurum muriaticum metallicum, caulophyllum, calcarea carbonica, calcarea iodata, calcarea fluor, hepar sulphuris, medorrhinum, myrristica sebifera, pulsatilla, phosphorus, sepia, silicea and thuja act like a surgeon’s knife and safely help in terminating fibroids without surgical intervention. A high dose of antimiasmatic remedy prevents recurrence.

Aurum muriaticum metallicum: It is generally prescribed in large uterine fibroids that are accompanied with depression and suicidal tendency in the patient.

Calcarea carbonica: It is prescribed for fair, fat and flabby women who sweat profusely and suffer from repeated attacks of cough and cold. The menstrual history shows profuse menstrual flow lasting several days.

Hepar sulphuris: It is given to hypersensitive women who feel cold easily.

Medorrhinum: It is given to women with dark, clotted periods that are profuse and accompanied with frequent urination.

Pulsatilla: It is prescribed when menstruation is delayed or absent. These women weep easily and are peevish. They often also complain of backache.

Phosphorus: It is indicated in tall, slender women with narrow chests and delicate skin. Periods last too long but are scanty. And women who suffer from nose bleed instead of periods.

Sepia: It is for women with a yellowish complexion. Women in this category have a tendency for abortions. They tend to sit often as there is a constant bearing down sensation and they cross their legs while sitting.

Silicea: It is for women who bleed between periods. The periods are heavy with icy coldness of the body. It promotes expulsion of growths.

The remedies mentioned above, work very well for fibroids if prescribed correctly. However, they are NOT to be taken over-the-counter. The doctor needs to know a lot about you to be able to prescribe the correct medicine. That’s why it’s important that you are forthcoming with the information. Even if it seems unrelated, factors such as sleep pattern or food cravings guide the physician in selecting the best remedy for you.