Appropriate treatment depends on the size and location of the fibroids, as well as the severity of symptoms. Most fibroids do not cause symptoms and are not treated. When they do cause symptoms, drug therapy is often the first step in the treatment. In many patients, symptoms are controlled with these treatments and no other therapy is required. Some hormone therapies do have side effects and other risks when used long-term, however, so they are generally used temporarily.
Fibroids often grow back after therapy is discontinued.
The next step is to try more invasive therapy. It is a minimally invaisve procedure, which means it requires only a tiny nick in the skin. It is performed while the patient is conscious but sedated - drowsy and feeling no pain. Fibroid embolization is performed by an interventional radiologist, a physician who is specially trained to perform this and other minimally invasive procedures. Find out more about doctors performing uterine fibroid embolization in this area.