What fibroids are
Fibroids are benign growths of the muscle wall of the uterus. They are very common, especially from the thirties to menopause, and often cause no symptoms at all. Depending on size and position, they can cause heavy or long periods, pelvic pressure, a full or swollen belly, frequent urination, constipation, back ache and pain with sex. They tend to shrink after menopause. Care ranges from watchful waiting and medication to myomectomy, embolization or hysterectomy, decided with your gynecologist.
When to get urgent care
Soaking a pad or tampon every hour, bleeding with dizziness or fainting, sudden severe pelvic pain, or pain with fever need urgent medical care first. A fibroid that grows quickly, or new bleeding after menopause, should go straight to your gynecologist.
The classics group fixed masses in the lower abdomen under 癥瘕 (zhēng jiǎ). A fixed, hard mass reads as blood that has stagnated over a long time; the question is what let it settle. Stress that keeps the Liver from moving qi is one common thread, sluggish digestion that lets phlegm-damp collect is another, and the two often travel together. Heavy bleeding with fatigue adds a third layer: a Spleen too weak to hold the blood. Where stasis leads, a practitioner might consider Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill); where heavy bleeding and depletion lead, the emphasis shifts to holding the blood and building the Spleen instead.
How we work with it
Herbal formulas usually lead, changing between the bleed and the rest of the month, with acupuncture to move qi in the pelvis and support the Spleen. Food advice targets dampness and rebuilding blood. We track your bleeding, pressure symptoms and energy, and we keep your gynecologist's ultrasound reports in the picture.
Formulas here illustrate how pattern diagnosis shapes treatment. They are not recommendations; a practitioner selects and adjusts formulas for the individual.
Questions people ask
Can Chinese medicine shrink fibroids?
We do not promise that. Fibroids are monitored by your gynecologist with ultrasound, and any change in size is theirs to measure. What we work on is the heavy bleeding, pressure, pain and fatigue that fibroids can bring, and the pattern the classical lens sees behind them.
I am scheduled for a procedure. Can I still come in?
Yes. Keep your surgical plan. Some people come before a myomectomy or embolization to support their energy and blood, and afterward to support recovery. Tell us your surgery date, because some herbs need to stop beforehand.
Are fibroids a reason I cannot get pregnant?
Sometimes, depending on their size and where they sit. That is a question for your gynecologist or reproductive physician. If conceiving is a goal, see our [fertility support](/conditions/fertility/) page.
This is general wellness information, not medical advice.
