Symptoms of Fibroids

Women ages 35-54 potentially face an increased risk for uterine fibroid tumors. Understanding fibroids and the various symptoms that can accompany them is essential in obtaining the proper treatment.

There are several different types of symptoms that women can experience if they have fibroid tumors. In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all. Depending on the size and location of the fibroid tumors, symptoms can become so severe that they affect the ability to maintain day to day activities. However, many women live with fibroid tumors and still maintain a good quality of life with the ability to manage and perform their everyday tasks.

Because fibroid tumors are hormonally sensitive, symptoms of fibroids are typically cyclical like menstruation. An increase in estrogen levels can cause many fibroid tumors to grow in size and can cause symptoms to increase as well. The severity of these symptoms may be underestimated, as some women who suffer from symptomatic fibroids have become accustomed to the heavy menstrual bleeding, pain and pressure that they can cause.

Some of the most common symptoms of uterine fibroids include heavy, excessive menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain and pressure, and urinary incontinence and frequency. Heavy or abnormal uterine bleeding is a common sign of intramural and submucosal fibroids and differs from a typical menstrual period in that it can affect daily activities. Pelvic pain and pressure can result from the growth of fibroid tumors which puts additional pressure on surrounding organs. Urinary incontinence is also caused by fibroid growth putting increased pressure on the bladder.

If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of uterine fibroid tumors, and are finding it difficult to perform your day to day activities and maintain your way of life, you should contact your primary physician or OB/Gyn immediately. If you and your care provider determine that you have uterine fibroid tumors, it is a good idea to discuss the various alternative treatments for uterine fibroids that are available to you including uterine fibroid embolization.

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Common Symptoms