Uterine Fibroid Embolization – Eight Positive Benefits
Deciding whether to undergo a medical procedure can be a daunting task. If you have fibroid symptoms and wonder if undergoing uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is worth it, the answer is yes.
UFE is a minimally invasive, non-surgical fibroid treatment that can reduce or eliminate fibroid symptoms and improve your quality of life. UFE is effective and offers many advantages over traditional fibroid surgeries, like hysterectomy.
In this article, we’ll discuss eight positive benefits of UFE:
- Reduced bleeding: UFE can significantly reduce heavy menstrual bleeding, a major inconvenience that can lead to iron-deficiency anemia.
- Pain relief: UFE can help reduce pain symptoms caused by fibroids, such as pelvic pain, back pain, and pain during sex.
- Improved quality of life: UFE can improve a woman’s quality of life by reducing bleeding, pain, and other symptoms of fibroids.
- Non-surgical: UFE is a minimally invasive procedure that does not require surgery. It has a shorter recovery time and a lower risk of complications than surgery.
- Preserves the uterus: UFE preserves the uterus, meaning women who undergo the procedure may still be able to have children.
- Effective: UFE is a very effective fibroid treatment. In most cases, the procedure shrinks or eliminates fibroids, relieves symptoms, and improves a woman’s quality of life.
- Safe: UFE is a safe procedure with a low risk of complications. The most common side effects are mild and temporary, such as cramping, nausea, and spotting.
- Insurance coverage: UFE is often covered by insurance, meaning women do not have to pay for the procedure out of pocket.
Uterine fibroids are a common type of non-cancerous growth, often affecting women during their reproductive years. Although not all fibroids are symptomatic, some women experience severe symptoms that impact their quality of life.
Common fibroid symptoms include:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Prolonged menstruation
- Breakthrough bleeding between cycles
- Anemia, which can lead to weakness and fatigue
- Pain during sex
- Frequent urination
- Constipation and/or bloating
- Pain in the pelvis or lower back
- Abdominal swelling
In addition to causing pain and discomfort, fibroids can also affect fertility and cause damage to surrounding organs.
If you suffer from fibroid symptoms, we recommend consulting a fibroid specialist (interventional radiologist) to discuss your treatment options. Many women believe that hysterectomy (the complete surgical removal of the uterus) is the only available solution. However, there are other effective treatments.
USA Fibroid Centers offers a minimally invasive, office-based treatment called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). This non-surgical procedure can shrink fibroids and alleviate symptoms, allowing you to return to normal daily activities. There are several benefits of uterine fibroid embolization, including less pain and a shorter recovery than fibroid surgery.
Benefits of uterine fibroid embolization include:
- Minimally invasive treatment with no surgery
- Short recovery of only one to two weeks
- No hospital stay or general anesthesia is required
- Less risk than surgery
- UFE treats all existing fibroid tumors at one time, regardless of size, number or location in one treatment.
- Highly effective, with a 99 percent success rate at USA Fibroid Centers
Beyond the short-term benefits of uterine fibroid embolization, women can also experience many long-term positive effects after receiving UFE. These may vary depending on which fibroid symptoms were present prior to treatment.
For more information about the benefits of fibroid removal and the positive effects of UFE, talk to one of our leading fibroid specialists.
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UFE Can Lead to Reduced Menstrual Bleeding
Heavy menstrual periods are a common and debilitating symptom of fibroids. UFE, or uterine fibroid embolization, is a minimally invasive procedure that can significantly reduce menstrual bleeding in women with fibroids. Benefits of UFE include:
- One of the most common benefits of UFE is reduced menstrual bleeding.
- In a study of over 1,000 women, 90% of women who underwent UFE reported a significant reduction in their menstrual bleeding.
- UFE can also lead to other benefits, such as reduced pelvic pain, improved fertility, and an improved quality of life.
Fibroid embolization may also help resolve anemia by allowing blood counts to return to normal, increasing energy and overall well-being.
UFE Can Provide Significant Pain Relief
Fibroids can cause severe menstrual cramps, cramps between periods, pelvic pain, and lower back pain. Although mild-to-moderate menstrual cramping during the first one to three days of your period is considered normal, these other types of pain are not. If you experience fibroid pain, you should be aware that it may worsen over time if fibroids are left untreated.
UFE, or uterine fibroid embolization, is a minimally invasive procedure that can provide significant pain relief for women with fibroids. During UFE, small particles are injected into the blood vessels that supply blood to the fibroids. This cuts off the blood supply to the fibroids, causing them to shrink and die.
As the fibroids shrink, they put less pressure on the surrounding tissues, which can help to reduce pain. A study published in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility found that 85% of over 1,000 women who underwent UFE reported a significant reduction in their fibroid pain.
UFE Can Improve Your Quality of Life
Fibroid symptoms can take a heavy toll on your physical, mental, social, and professional well-being. After UFE, many women feel more active, energetic, and productive without having to worry about painful menstrual cramps, heavy bleeding, or frequent bathroom visits.
In some women, large fibroids can sometimes press against the bladder and affect its ability to hold urine, leading to frequent urination. Women with frequent urination may worry about being near a bathroom or feel embarrassed by how many trips to the bathroom they take. They may feel like staying home from work, canceling social plans, or avoiding intimacy altogether. After uterine fibroid embolization, you should notice less frequent urination and the alleviation of other urinary issues as your fibroids shrink.
Fibroid symptoms can impact your sex life, too. Pain during sex is a common symptom of fibroids, especially when your fibroids are located in the lower end of the uterus, near the cervix. Other fibroid symptoms like frequent urination, prolonged bleeding during periods, and low energy levels can also affect your sexual well-being. UFE can help alleviate all these symptoms and help you rekindle intimacy in your relationship.
When fibroids grow, the uterus needs to expand to accommodate them. In some cases, this expansion may cause the stomach to bulge—even to the point that a woman appears to be in her second trimester of pregnancy. Understandably, this often impacts body image and self-esteem. After UFE treatment, the abdominal area can return to its previous shape and size. You no longer need to be self-conscious about your visible belly and can wear all your favorite clothes.
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UFE Does Not Require Surgery
Uterine fibroid embolization is a non-surgical, outpatient procedure. Unlike surgery, it requires no general anesthesia or stitches, causes minimal scarring, and has a short recovery time.
Fear of major surgery causes many women to avoid seeking treatment for fibroids. However, as a minimally invasive treatment, uterine fibroid embolization presents substantially fewer potential risks. Since no surgery is performed, the risk of significant bleeding and infection is lower compared to procedures like hysterectomy or myomectomy. In addition, UFE does not require general anesthesia or a hospital stay, so you’ll return home the same day to begin your recovery.
UFE offers a much shorter recovery period than fibroid surgery, with most women able to resume their daily activities within one to two weeks. A myomectomy can take approximately two to six weeks for recovery, while a hysterectomy typically requires six to eight weeks.
Uterine Fibroid Embolization Leaves the Uterus Intact
Many women who suffer from fibroid symptoms avoid treatment because they believe a hysterectomy (the removal of the uterus) is their only option. Uterine fibroid embolization can treat fibroids while leaving your uterus intact, and many women with fibroids have healthy pregnancies after UFE treatment.
If you want to become pregnant after fibroid treatment, discuss your plans with a fibroid specialist beforehand. Many USA Fibroid Center patients have become pregnant after fibroid embolization.
UFE Is an Effective Treatment
UFE is an FDA-approved treatment with a success rate of 85–95 percent. Most women see a drastic improvement in symptoms within three to six months of the procedure. Fibroid embolization is a targeted therapy, meaning it only affects the fibroid, not the surrounding structures like the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or cervix. Moreover, the risk of recurrence of fibroids after the procedure is very low.
UFE is effective for most women with fibroids. It provides an excellent option for women who desire children and/or want to avoid a major surgery.
UFE Is a Safe Procedure
Most women who undergo UFE experience few side effects, limited to cramping, spotting, or nausea. UFE is minimally invasive, involving only the insertion of a small catheter. Since it requires no incisions or stitches, UFE carries a much lower risk of bleeding and infection than surgery.
CHOOSE A SAFE FIBROID TREATMENT
UFE Is Covered by Insurance
Fibroids can impact fertility and cause painful symptoms that affect your quality of life. Fortunately, most insurance providers cover the cost of fibroid treatments like UFE. At USA Fibroid Centers, we can help you verify your insurance coverage so you can focus on your health.
You can also verify your insurance coverage using our online scheduling tool. Simply select your state and insurance provider from the dropdown menu.
Schedule a Consultation at USA Fibroid Centers
At USA Fibroid Centers, we aim to educate women on their full range of fibroid treatment options, including surgical and non-surgical methods. Uterine fibroid embolization offers several benefits over fibroid surgery, resulting in a shorter recovery and many positive, long-term effects, including improved fibroid symptoms, preserved fertility, and a better quality of life.
Our highly experienced fibroid specialists perform UFE in dozens of treatment centers across the country. During an initial consultation, one of our doctors will review your symptoms and health history, perform a physical exam, order imaging (when necessary), and discuss your treatment options. Then, they will develop a personalized treatment plan.
There is no need to suffer from pain and discomfort due to fibroids any longer. When you’re ready to experience the positive benefits of fibroid treatment, call us at 855.615.2555 or schedule an appointment at a treatment center near you. For added convenience, we also offer virtual doctor visits.
