Ayurveda Interventions for the Management of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding in Patients with Uterine Fibroids: A Case Report

Abstract

The most encountered benign tumours of the uterus are Leiomyomas, also called Uterine fibroids. When symptomatic, they present with heavy menstrual bleeding, dysmenorrhoea, pressure symptoms etc. In Ayurvedic literature, this condition is similar to Asrigdara caused due to Garbhashayagranthi. Samprapti of Asrigdara involves raktadushti caused by pittakopa and that of Garbhashayagranthi involves dushita kaphavatadosha and mamsamedo dhathu. The conventional treatment involves hormonal therapies and hysterectomy. The reluctance to undergo hysterectomy in the reproductive years and the side effects associated with the prolonged use of hormonal therapies prompt women to seek alternate management for uterine fibroids. A 42-year-old woman with submucous fibroid presenting with heavy menstrual bleeding, shortened interval and advised hysterectomy approached for alternative ayurvedic management. The case was diagnosed as Asrigdara due to Garbhashayagranthi. The treatment first involved rakthasthambhana chikitsa followed by granthiharana and kaphavatadoshahara chikitsa. Medications were given for a period of 11 months, by which the menstrual cycles got regularised with moderate bleeding. A reduction in the size of the fibroid was also noted.