7 Signs You May Have Fibroid Uterus — Symptoms Most Women Ignore

Many women live with fibroid symptoms for years, assuming the symptoms are "normal" or "just part of being a woman." These seven signs deserve medical attention — not silent suffering.

1. Heavy or Prolonged Menstrual Bleeding

The most common fibroid symptom. Soaking through a pad or tampon every hour, bleeding for more than 7 days, or passing large blood clots are all signs of abnormally heavy periods — not a normal variation. This level of bleeding can cause iron-deficiency anaemia.

2. Pelvic Pain or Pressure

A dull ache, heaviness, or feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen — especially between periods. Larger fibroids cause a constant pressure sensation in the pelvis.

3. Frequent Urination

A fibroid pressing on the bladder from above causes an urgent need to urinate frequently — waking multiple times at night. Many women are treated for UTIs or overactive bladder before the fibroid is discovered.

4. Constipation or Rectal Pressure

Fibroids on the posterior wall of the uterus press on the rectum, causing constipation or a feeling of incomplete bowel emptying.

5. Bloating or an Enlarged Abdomen

Large fibroids can make the abdomen look swollen or enlarged — patients sometimes describe this as "looking pregnant." Very large fibroids can be felt by the patient themselves as a firm mass in the lower abdomen.

6. Pain During Intercourse

Dyspareunia (pain during sex) — particularly with deep penetration — can be caused by fibroids, especially those located near the cervix or at the back of the uterus.