Having uterine fibroids is not as scary as it seems. Most women who have these benign tumors never even have to worry about getting uterine fibroid treatments. Many women never even realize they have them, either, which is why they’re less scary than they sound.

That is, unless you begin to experience some of the signs and symptoms of fibroids, which can be awful. Though it’s uncommon, some women experience such symptoms of fibroid cysts as pelvic discomfort, abdominal pressure, bladder issues, abnormal bleeding, and even sometimes pain during intercourse.

In the very unlikely instance that you do experience these symptoms, here’s what you should know about possible fibroid treatments.

Medicines Can Help.

If your symptoms are mild, your doctor may suggest a variety of medicinal uterine fibroid treatments. Over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help women deal with mild pain that result from fibroids. If they’re causing abnormal menstrual bleeding, drugs commonly used for birth control can be used as fibroid treatments to help control heavy bleeding.

For Moderate and Severe Symptoms, More Advanced Fibroid Treatments May Be Necessary.

If your symptoms are more severe, you may need more advanced fibroid treatments, such radiofrequency ablation. This is because the only way to properly eliminate the problem is to eliminate the fibroids, which the medicines cannot do. Although some medicinal fibroid treatments can cause the fibroids to shrink, they cannot eradicate the tumors.

If the Fibroids Are Persistent, a Hysterectomy May Be Necessary.

Although these fibroid treatments can thoroughly eliminate the fibroids, there’s still a chance that the benign tumors may grow back, and the problem will begin again. Just as the only way to eliminate fibroids is to remove them, the only way to stop fibroids from coming back is to remove the uterus, which is typically done with a uterine fibroids surgery known as a hysterectomy. Luckily, this can usually be avoided.

If you have any questions about having fibroids, feel free to share in the comments.