The actual embolization procedure is not painful at all. Almost all patients develop some degree of crampy pelvic pain for the first 6-10 hours after the procedure, as the fibroids are breaking down. The amount of discomfort varies greatly from patient to patient and is difficult to predict in advance. Most women describe it as being similar to moderate-severe menstrual cramps. The cramping is usually well controlled with a PCA (patient controlled analgesia) pump that allows delivery of IV morphine by pushing a button. By the next morning the cramping will be much improved and can be managed with oral medications. Some centers routinely offer spinal or epidural anesthesia for post procedure discomfort. While certainly effective, these techniques do add another level of risk, and in the vast majority of cases are unnecessary.