Uterine Fibroids and Menstrual Changes: What You Need to Know

Fibroid tumors, or uterine fibroids, involve noncancerous growths in the uterus. Also called myomas and fibromyomas, fibroid tumors rarely develop into cancer. A majority of fibroid tumors don't cause symptoms or missed periods.

Symptoms

• Symptoms most commonly associated with fibroid tumors include heavy or prolonged menstrual periods. Many females also experience pelvic pressure or pain, backache and frequent urination.

Rare Symptoms

• Fibroid tumors occasionally outgrow their blood supply and start to die. A dying fibroid tumor leaks byproducts into the tissue surrounding it, which typically causes fever and acute pain.

Considerations

• The Mayo Clinic reports that up to 75 percent of females suffer from fibroid tumors at some point during their childbearing years. Uterine fibroids are most common in females over 30 and in African-American women.

Treatment

• Since most fibroid tumors don't cause any problems, they don't require medical treatment. A troublesome uterine fibroid is typically removed during a surgical procedure called a myomectomy.

Types

• Submucosal fibroid tumors grow into the inner part of the uterine cavity. Subserosal fibroids grow on the outside of the uterus.

Causes

• Fibroid tumors occur when a single uterine tissue cell reproduces repeatedly, eventually causing a firm, rubbery mass to form. Hormones seem to affect the growth of uterine fibroids.