Fibroids and Cramping

 

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Fibroids are benign tumors which grow in, on and around the uterus (some are pedunculated), and of course they are rarely not symptomatic to some degree.  It's true that some women are lucky enough to not even know they have fibroids, but for most of us, that's not the case.

In addition to the obvious heavy menstrual flow (spotting, prolonged periods, anemia, ER trips, etc.) there is one very distinct symptom of fibroids: PAIN!

The pain is worst during the menstrual period, as normal cramping sort of "massages" the fibroids, which are fairly solid and will push back against surrounding muscles - ouch!  And even worse for us, is that using heat to soothe the cramps, will increase our heavy blood loss, so we often need to find other options for pain relief:

• My first & foremost option is Aleve.  I know it's designed for joint & muscle pain, but the uterus is sort of 'muscular' so it works.  Over the years, I've experimented with various pain relief meds, from NSAIDs, to Ibuprofen... just try them until you find the one that works for you.
• Light exercise - but nothing strenuous!  Staying upright, rather than laying down, can help just by ensuring that the fluid flows out of you naturally, so your uterus and surrounding muscles don't have to "squeeze" so hard to get it out. 
• Staying hydrated, and taking your iron supplements. It's amazing how the "little things" we do for our health, can have such a profound impact when done regularly... when your body is healthy, you'll feel better overall. 
• Use a folded cloth on your lower belly. It gently uses your own body heat, without overheating you and causing heavier bleeding.  One thing I sometimes do, is while wearing leggings, fold a face cloth and shove it against my lower belly and use my leggings to hold it in place. Weird? Oh yes. Helpful? Ooooh yessss......
• Lay off on the caffeine... for awhile.  When your cramps are bad, one thing that can make them worse is caffeine, as it stimulates your central nervous system and increases a lot of your body's mechanisms. Sometimes a nice hot cup of peppermint tea with honey can hit the spot just as well 🍵
• Using cold - yes, contrary to what most women use for cramps, using a cool damp wash cloth, ice pack, frozen peas or something else to "chill" your lower abdomen can be quite calming and soothing.  If you have sensitive skin, use a thin towel (like a kitchen towel) as a barrier to protect you from frost bite - true story. 
• Eating turmeric - this spicy flavor may be an acquired taste, but if you like Indian food (butter chicken? Yes please!) then you can add this anti-inflammatory seasoning to your meals, which can help decrease inflammation in your body and therefore should lessen the cramps a bit.  Cinnamon has a similar benefit and is delicious on desserts, chicken (yes), and in warm beverages like tea. 
• Staying calm... you already know this, but stressing increases heart rate and blood pressure, and therefore your cramps.  Try some adult coloring, listening to binaural beats, baking, smelling essential oils such as lavender, watching funny videos, or anything else that relaxes you.

Remember that the best way to relieve cramping caused by fibroids, is to make an appointment with your gynecologist and discuss options.  You'll also want to get tested to find out if it could be endometriosis (uterine lining on surrounding organs such as bladder, bowels and surrounding tissues), or cancer.  Getting checked is safer than ignoring it.