The pelvic area is particularly important when it comes to female reproductive system. The pelvic area contains pelvic floor muscles (PFM). These are two layers of muscles that wrap around the vagina and the vaginal opening. These muscles provide structural support for organs, assist with continence (bladder and bowel), contract during orgasm, and also help with stability of your core and posture. Fibroids are tumours made of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue. Fibroids can be of various types:
i. Intramural fibroids: Intramural fibroids are the most common type of fibroid. These types appear within the muscular wall of the uterus. Intramural fibroids may grow larger and can stretch your womb.
ii. Subserosal fibroids: Subserosal fibroids form on the outside of your uterus, which is called the serosa. They may grow large enough to make your womb appear bigger on one side.
iii. Pedunculated fibroids: Subserosal tumours can develop a stem, a slender base that supports the tumour. When they do, they are known as pedunculated fibroids.
iv. Submucosal fibroids: These types of tumours develop in the middle muscle layer, or myometrium, of your uterus. Submucosal tumours are not as common as the other types.
The most important point to note here is that you have hypothyroidism and it is linked with fibroids. Women with hypothyroidism were seen to be three times more likely to have fibroids, especially larger fibroids, in comparison to women without hypothyroidism. Given these findings, Walch and her team concluded that hypothyroidism could be linked to fibroids. Factors that increase the risk of fibroids include African American ethnicity and age—as Walch and her team verified—as well as family history and obesity. Although factors like these may have a genetic component, some research points to controllable factors like dietary habits that could influence fibroid risk. It is suggested that a diet heavy in green vegetables may protect women from developing fibroids.
Certain home remedies and natural treatments can have a positive effect on fibroids, including:
1. acupuncture
2. yoga
3. massage
4. Gui Zhi Fu Ling Tang (GFLT), a traditional Chinese medicine formula
5. applying heat for cramps (avoid heat if you experience heavy bleeding)
Dietary changes can help as well. Avoid meats and high-calorie foods. Instead, opt for foods high in flavonoids, green vegetables, green tea, and cold-water fish such as tuna or salmon.
Managing your stress levels and losing weight if you’re overweight can also benefit women with fibroids.
Besides if you want to know more about your condition check these links below:
1. 1. American Thyroid Association. (2016). General Information/Press Room. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from HTTP://WWW.THYROID.ORG/MEDIA-MAIN/ABOUT-HYPOTHYROIDISM/
2. Ott, J., Kurz, C., Braun, R., Promberger, R., Seemann, R., Vytiska-Binstorfer, E., & Walch, K. (2014). Overt hypothyroidism is associated with the presence of uterine leiomyoma: a retrospective analysis. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 177: 19-22. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2014.03.003. HTTP://WWW.EJOG.ORG/ARTICLE/S0301-2115(14)00135-3/ABSTRACT
3. US Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Uterine Fibroids. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from HTTPS://REPORT.NIH.GOV/NIHFACTSHEETS/VIEWFACTSHEET.ASPX?CSID=50
4. Office On Women’s Health, US Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Uterine Fibroid Fact Sheet. Retrieved October 26, 2015, from HTTPS://WWW.WOMENSHEALTH.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/OUR-PUBLICATIONS/FACT-SHEET/UTERINE-FIBROIDS.HTML
5. Harris, C. (2012). Thyroid Disease and Diet—Nutrition Plays a Part in Maintaining Thyroid Health. Today’s Dietitian, 14(7): 40. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from HTTP://WWW.TODAYSDIETITIAN.COM/NEWARCHIVES/070112P40.SHTML
Wish you a good health. Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath