There is an entire spectrum of symptoms of fibroid cysts. On the one hand, some women never develop any signs and symptoms of fibroids. They may not even realize they have them. Other times, women develop fibroids so large and severe that they need uterine fibroid surgery to get them taken out.

These latter cases, thankfully, are pretty rare. Most women never need to worry about uterine fibroid treatments, and if they do, they have a myriad of uterine fibroids treatment options they can choose from.

Here are just a few of the easy ways doctors can provide relief to patients suffering from fibroids.

Birth Control.

One of the most common symptoms of fibroids is heavy menstrual bleeding. Some women may find that their periods are more painful than usual, and also find that they have a heavier flow, which can soak through their sanitary protection in as little as an hour. Fortunately, birth control hormones can be used as fibroid treatments to help staunch the abnormal level of bleeding. The pill, patch, or ring have been shown to help reduce heavy menstrual bleeds while also preventing pregnancy, but usually don’t affect the size of uterine fibroids.

Pain Relief.

Other common symptoms of fibroids can include abdominal pain, and/or lower back pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, can help provide pain relief in these cases. Drugs like ibuprofen, and combination products like Excedrin work well.

Iron Supplements.

Sometimes, the abnormal menstrual bleeding caused by fibroids can be so heavy that it causes patients to develop anemia, which can cause patients to have fatigue, weakness, pale skin, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, cognitive problems, cold hands and feet, and headaches. If the amount of menstrual bleeding has gotten this bad, doctors may also recommend patients take iron supplements in addition to birth control to correct anemia.

If you have any questions about what fibroid treatment options are out there, feel free to share in the comments.