Treatment of Uterine Fibroids with Complementary Medicine

Objective: To report on the treatment of women with uterine fibroids with complementary medicine and to compare this to a matched sample of similar women not exposed to complementary medicine.

Design: Matching study with 37 patients seeking complementary medicine matched with 37 similar patients seeking conventional treatment.

Methods: 37 patients with uterine fibroids sought complementary medicine treatment consisting of traditional Chinese medicine, body therapy, and guided imagery. The program lasted a duration of 6 months. Patients were seen for weekly traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, herbal treatment, and nutritional therapy. Patients received guided visual imagery and self-hypnosis training in either weekly, one hour individual sessions or two hour group sessions. Somatic therapy (bodywork) in the form of myofascial release and deep tissue massage was provided weekly, with an emphasis on removing what TCM calls stagnation in the pelvis, and with an emphasis on increasing pelvic blood flow and improving lymphatic drainage of the pelvis.

Results: Three patients reported complete cure, 11 had reduced fibroids, 8 had fibroids that had stopped growing, 10 had fibroids whose rate of growth had decreased, 3 showed no change in rate of growth, and two had fibroids whose growth rate had increased. In the comparison group, no patients reported complete cure, 1 had reduced fibroid size, 2 had fibroids that had stopped growing, 9 had fibroids whose rate of growth had decreased, 20 showed no change in rate of growth, and 4 had fibroids whose growth rate had increased. Treatment results were significantly different (p < 0.01) from comparison results. Cost of care averaged $3800 per patient and was significantly greater than comparison patients.

Conclusions: As reported previously in the Chinese literature, complementary medicine can treat uterine fibroids, though not inexpensively.

Update!: The full text of this paper will be published in
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine in the March 2002 Issue.

Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine is a forum for sharing information concerning the practical use of alternative therapies in preventing and treating disease, healing illness, and promoting health.

Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine is a peer-reviewed healthcare journal that has been indexed in the National Library of Medicine since 1996.