Uterine tumors can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including abnormal vaginal bleeding or irregular menstrual periods. In some cases, a person who has uterine tumors may pass clots out of the vagina as well as blood; it also is possible for a woman with this condition to notice that her abdominal region appears swollen or larger than normal — she may even look as if she is pregnant. While an individual may have tumors that do not cause discomfort, especially when they are small, some do cause cramping, pelvic pain, back pain, and pressure in the abdominal region.
One of the most common symptoms of uterine tumors is irregular bleeding. For example, a woman who has a tumor in her uterus may bleed between her normal menstrual periods or have periods that last much longer than usual. Sometimes the first clue that a woman has uterine tumors is vaginal bleeding that is much heavier than usual or includes numerous blood clots. Additionally, vaginal bleeding that occurs in a woman who has already been through menopause is often a sign of a tumor in the uterus.
Often, uterine tumors also cause obvious physical changes in a woman’s abdomen, especially if they grow to a considerable size. For example, a woman may have unexplained swelling or bloating that does not go away. In some cases, she may be able to feel a bulge in her abdomen as a result of tumor growth. Additionally, some uterine tumors grow large enough that they cause the affected woman to appear pregnant.
An individual who has uterine tumors may also suffer from pain or pressure in the abdominal region. Often, the pain these growths cause can be described as cramping, but some of these tumors may cause more severe discomfort. Interestingly, tumors in the uterus may even cause a woman to suffer pain in her back.
It is important to note that there are two categories of tumors a woman may develop in her uterus, and they do not always mean cancer. Benign tumors are not cancerous and usually don’t spread to other parts of the patient’s body or cause life-threatening symptoms. When they are removed, they do not normally grow back. A malignant uterine tumor, however, is cancerous and can threaten the patient’s life. It can spread to other parts of the body and may sometimes grow back after removal.