Do I Have Fibroids? Common Symptoms Women Shouldn’t Ignore

Uterine fibroids can impact your quality of life, leading to pain and other complications.

Because caring for the reproductive system is so crucial for women’s overall health, our medical staff at Progressive Care for Women, S.C., led by Drs. Michelle Hakimian, Kate Nash, Matthew King, is dedicated to treating uterine fibroids affecting women in the Chicago area.

But how do you know if you have fibroids or another condition? To help you start on the right treatment path, let’s define uterine fibroids and identify the signs to look for.

Defining uterine fibroids

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that grow both inside and outside your uterus, either singly or in clusters. They’re made up of muscle and connective tissue, and can be as small as seeds or as large as a melon.

The symptoms you experience depend on the type of fibroid you have:

Intramural: the most common type, frequently embedded in the uterine walls

Submucosal: under the inner lining of the uterus

Subserosal: outside the uterus, under the lining

Pedunculated: a rare type that attaches to the uterus with a stem or stalk

Subserosal fibroids can be especially painful, as they can grow large and into your pelvis. Fibroids are very common (between 40-80% of women have them) and are more common in women aged 30-50. While they can be painful, they often appear with no symptoms.

Causes and risk factors

The underlying causes of fibroids aren’t well understood, but several factors may increase the risk. These include age, obesity, hypertension, family history, a lack of pregnancy history, and vitamin D deficiency.

Black women are also four times more likely to develop uterine fibroids than women of other ethnicities, and often at a younger age — between 18 and 30. Also, an estimated 80% of Black women are likely to have a benign pelvic tumor compared to 70% of white women.

Symptoms that need treatment

Many fibroids appear asymptomatically, but when signs are present, they can be quite unpleasant. These include:

Menorrhagia: heavy menstrual bleeding that can lead to anemia

Painful menstruation: increased pain during periods

Lower body pain: pain that radiates to the lower back and legs

Pelvic fullness: feelings of discomfort or fullness in the lower abdomen, especially with larger fibroids

Constipation: difficulty having regular bowel movements

Frequent urination: excessive urge to urinate

Dyspareunia: painful intercourse

One or more of these symptoms could indicate you have fibroids. If you struggle with any of these, schedule an appointment with Drs. Hakimian, Nash, King, and the team at Progressive Care For Women, S.C., today.