We’ve talked a lot previously about the primary symptoms of uterine fibroids. Today we are going to discuss secondary fibroid symptoms and answer the following question: can fibroids cause nausea, dizziness, acid reflux, leg pain, or back pain?
What Symptoms Are Normally Caused By Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are benign, i.e. non-cancerous, tumors that grow in the uterus. Statistics released by The National Center for Biotechnology Information report that in the United States approximately 26 million women ages 15 to 50 have uterine fibroids. Over 15 million of these women deal with symptoms or associated health concerns due to their fibroids.
Some symptoms of fibroids are well known, such as heavy bleeding, pelvic pain and pressure, enlarged uterus and abdomen, pain during sex, and infertility. Fibroids can also cause other symptoms, sometimes indirectly, that are less common and are often mistaken for other conditions.
Can Fibroids Cause Nausea?
Many women have reported experiencing nausea just before or during their periods. Nausea or feeling queasy is described as the uneasy feeling, sometimes accompanied by sharp pains in the stomach, that occurs when you have the urge to vomit.
Pain during your period is a common cause of nausea. The pain may occur due to a large fibroid pressing on a pelvic nerve. Another cause can be submucosal fibroids which cause very heavy bleeding. Heavy bleeding is often associated with passing blood clots. When these clots pass through the cervix and into the vagina it causes pain.
Another less common cause is when a large fibroid in the back of the uterus compresses the colon causing chronic constipation which can also cause nausea. In addition, women suffering from fibroids who bleed heavily each month commonly are placed on oral iron therapy. This is a very common cause of constipation.
If you suffer from constipation, it is important to determine the underlying cause. If constipation is due to fibroids whether by direct compression or causing heavy periods and iron therapy, treating the fibroids should alleviate this. One of the best methods to treat fibroids is Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE).
Can Fibroids Cause Dizziness?
A very common and well-known side effect of fibroids is heavy prolonged bleeding during menstruation. Significant blood loss can lead to anemia which is a condition caused by a deficit of red blood cells and a shortage of iron-rich hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the blood. The loss of this protein can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and an abnormally fast heartbeat as the heart has to beat faster to compensate for the red blood cell and hemoglobin shortage. Read our complete guide on how to recover after blood loss.
Video: Can Fibroids Cause Anemia? Anemia Symptoms: Craving Ice, Clay, Dirt, Or Chalk
Can Fibroids Cause Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is not a common symptom of fibroids. However, when the uterus is significantly enlarged above the belly button, it can cause pressure symptoms on the upper abdomen which can include abdominal pain, pressure, bloating, and acid reflux.
Can Fibroids Cause Lower Back And Leg Pain?
Large fibroids on the posterior aspect of the uterus can protrude enough to put pressure on the spinal column and cause lower back and buttock pain which can radiate into the legs as well. Shooting pains running down the legs coupled with lower back pain mimic the symptoms of sciatica from a herniated disk. Because this is one of the lesser-known symptoms of uterine fibroids it is often misdiagnosed and most likely also significantly underreported.
How to Treat Nausea, Dizziness, Acid Reflux Caused by Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids can cause a variety of symptoms, but the good news is that there is a nonsurgical, outpatient way to treat uterine fibroids that is 90% effective. Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) is performed by an interventional radiologist, a physician that is an expert in providing minimally invasive, targeted treatments that replace surgery all over the body. UFE works by cutting off the blood supply to all the fibroids which kills them. As they die, they soften and shrink which eliminates the symptoms that they cause.
John Lipman, MD, Founder & Medical Director of the Atlanta Fibroid Center®, is a renowned expert in UFE and has been performing this procedure in over 9,000 women over the past 25 years.
If you have been diagnosed with uterine fibroids and want help in eliminating your fibroid symptoms, contact our offices today to set up a consultation and see if you are a candidate for UFE.
