Chinese Medicine for Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are incredibly common, particularly during the reproductive years and as women move through their 30s and 40s.

Some women have fibroids and never know they’re there. For others, they can contribute to heavy periods, painful cramping, pelvic pressure, frequent urination, constipation, low back discomfort, or changes in fertility.

In Chinese medicine, we don’t look at a fibroid as an isolated problem. We look at the entire pattern that may be contributing to symptoms—from menstrual history and circulation to digestion, stress, hormones, and overall health.

That distinction is important because two women with uterine fibroids may have completely different Chinese medicine patterns—and therefore require completely different treatment plans.

Uterine fibroids, also called leiomyomas or myomas, are noncancerous growths that develop from the muscle tissue of the uterus.

They can be very small or grow quite large, and a woman may have one fibroid or several. Their location also varies. Fibroids may develop within the muscular wall of the uterus, protrude into the uterine cavity, or grow toward the outside of the uterus.

Not every fibroid needs treatment. Small fibroids that aren’t causing symptoms may simply be monitored. When fibroids cause significant bleeding, pain, pressure, anemia, fertility problems, or other concerns, medical treatment may be appropriate.

Fibroids are closely connected to a woman’s hormonal environment.

Estrogen and progesterone appear to influence fibroid growth, which helps explain why fibroids are most common during the reproductive years. They may also change as hormone levels fluctuate through perimenopause and often become smaller after menopause as estrogen levels decline.

This is one reason fibroids can become particularly relevant for women in their 40s.

Perimenopause isn’t simply a steady decline in hormones. Hormone levels fluctuate considerably during this transition, and women may simultaneously begin experiencing changes in their menstrual cycles, including heavier or more irregular bleeding.

When a woman comes into my office with fibroids, I therefore want to understand much more than simply how large the fibroid is.

I want to understand what’s happening with her entire menstrual and hormonal picture.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, uterine fibroids are commonly associated with some form of Blood Stasis.

Blood should circulate freely throughout the body. When that movement becomes impaired, Chinese medicine describes this as stagnation or stasis.

But Blood Stasis usually isn’t the entire picture.

There may be other underlying patterns contributing to why stagnation developed in the first place. This is where individualized diagnosis becomes so important.

Blood Stasis is one of the primary patterns I look for when treating women with fibroids.

Treatment traditionally focuses on invigorating Blood and transforming stasis.

However, simply moving Blood isn’t necessarily appropriate for every woman, particularly when menstrual bleeding is already very heavy. The entire presentation has to be considered before choosing an herbal formula.

The Liver plays an important role in maintaining the smooth movement of Qi throughout the body.

When Liver Qi becomes stagnant, women may experience symptoms such as breast tenderness, irritability, PMS, abdominal distention, menstrual discomfort, or symptoms that become noticeably worse during stressful periods.

Over time, prolonged Qi stagnation may contribute to Blood Stasis.

In these cases, treatment may focus on promoting the smooth movement of Liver Qi while addressing the accompanying Blood Stasis.

Another pattern we may see involves Dampness and Phlegm.

In Chinese medicine, Phlegm doesn’t only refer to something you cough up. It can describe a more systemic accumulation that develops when fluids aren’t being transformed and transported efficiently.

Women with this pattern may also experience bloating, heaviness, fatigue, digestive problems, weight gain, a swollen tongue, or other signs of Spleen dysfunction.

Treatment may therefore focus on strengthening the Spleen, transforming Dampness and Phlegm, and addressing Blood Stasis when present.

Women who have experienced prolonged heavy menstrual bleeding may eventually become depleted.

From a Chinese medicine perspective, we may begin seeing signs of Qi and Blood deficiency such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness, paleness, shortness of breath with exertion, poor concentration, or a light menstrual flow between episodes of heavier bleeding.

From a conventional perspective, heavy bleeding from fibroids can also lead to anemia, which is one reason persistent heavy periods shouldn’t simply be ignored.

In these cases, treatment isn’t simply about moving stagnation. We also need to consider whether the body needs to be strengthened and nourished.

This is one of my favorite things about Chinese herbal medicine.

There isn’t one “fibroid formula.”

One woman may have pronounced Blood Stasis with dark clots and significant menstrual pain.

Another may have heavy bleeding accompanied by exhaustion and signs of deficiency.

Another may have fibroids along with bloating, heaviness, weight gain, and significant Dampness.

Giving all three women the same herbs wouldn’t make sense from a Chinese medicine perspective.

Instead, herbal formulas are selected according to the individual’s symptoms, menstrual cycle, tongue, pulse, constitution, and overall pattern.

And as that pattern changes, the formula can change too.

Acupuncture can also be incorporated into an individualized Chinese medicine treatment plan.

Treatment isn’t based exclusively on the presence of a fibroid. Acupuncture points are selected according to the woman’s underlying pattern and accompanying symptoms.

For example, one treatment may focus more heavily on menstrual pain and Blood Stasis, while another may address stress, digestive function, or other symptoms occurring alongside the fibroids.

I think this is an important distinction.

We’re treating the woman who has the fibroids—not simply the fibroids themselves.

Chinese medicine treatment doesn’t stop when you leave the acupuncture table.

I also look at nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, digestion, bowel habits, and other lifestyle factors that may be influencing your overall health.

Recommendations should be individualized rather than based on long lists of foods women with fibroids supposedly should or shouldn’t eat.

A balanced diet rich in whole foods, adequate protein, fiber, colorful vegetables, healthy fats, and appropriate carbohydrates creates a much better foundation than chasing one specific “fibroid-fighting” food.

Pay attention to your symptoms.

Are your periods getting heavier? Are you passing increasingly large clots? Has pelvic pressure increased? Are you becoming unusually tired or lightheaded?

Those changes give us important information about what’s happening in your body and may indicate that it’s time to reevaluate your treatment plan.

Chinese medicine can be incorporated into a comprehensive approach to women’s health, but it shouldn’t replace appropriate gynecological evaluation or monitoring.

Fibroids causing significant heavy bleeding, anemia, persistent pelvic pain or pressure, urinary or bowel problems, fertility concerns, or rapidly changing symptoms should be evaluated by an OB-GYN. Conventional options range from medications to uterine artery embolization, radiofrequency ablation, myomectomy, and hysterectomy depending on symptoms, fibroid characteristics, age, and fertility goals.

This doesn’t have to be an either/or decision.

Chinese medicine and conventional gynecological care can each have a place depending on what a woman needs.

Fibroids are common, but every woman’s experience with them is different.

Some women need nothing more than monitoring. Others are primarily concerned about heavy periods or pain. Some are trying to conceive, while others are entering perimenopause and wondering how changing hormones may affect their fibroids.

That’s why I believe treatment should begin with the individual rather than the diagnosis.

If you’re dealing with fibroids, heavy or painful periods, or other menstrual changes, schedule an appointment at New Direction Natural Medicine. We’ll look at your symptoms, menstrual history, tongue, pulse, and overall health to determine your Chinese medicine pattern and create a personalized treatment plan using acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, nutrition, and lifestyle support.