Fibroid tumor symptoms are often blamed on other causes. Sometimes, the symptoms of fibroid tumors are not even noticed, while other times the quality of life is affected every day. Fibroid tumors are non-cancerous growths that form in the uterus. Fibroid tumors often grow in groups, and they can be as small as a pea or as large as an egg or even a grapefruit. Fibroid tumors afflict nearly 80% of North American women. About 40% of women will develop fibroid tumor symptoms during perimenopause, which is the age before menopause.

Here are the leading symptoms of fibroid tumors:

1. Pain - especially lower abdominal pain or pain and irritation in the bladder area. The pain can come and go or it can be somewhat constant. And pain with sexual activity can happen if the fibroid tumors grow in proximity to the vagina or become large enough to cause the vaginal walls to protrude.

2. Pressure on the bladder or lower abdomen - this pressure can result in having to urinate often. Also, you can feel a sense of urgency to urinate before you normally would expect to have to go. In rare cases, one can lose the ability to urinate.

3. Menstrual cycle problems - heavy bleeding or painful periods, sometimes bleeding between periods. Women with fibroids sometimes have periods that last 8 days or longer. If frequent or heavy bleeding occurs, the excessive blood loss can result in an anemic condition.

4. Increase in waist size and shape - even though there is no significant weight gain, your clothing no longer fits around the midsection.

5. Pressure on the rectum - the result is constipation and/or the development of hemorroids.

6. Depression, irritability - constant pain can wreak havoc with ones state of mind.

7. Infertility and pregnancy complications - a fertilized egg cannot implant in the uterus if that wall is already occupied by one or more fibroids leading to miscarriage. When fibroid tumors are found near the fallopian tubes, the passage may be partially or totally blocked. This usually means that the egg cannot come down and the sperm cannot go up, so the egg and the sperm can never meet and pregnancy cannot occur. When a fertilized egg does implant in the uterine wall with a fibroid tumor located near the implantation site, the fibroid may continue to grow, demanding both space and nourishment needed by the fetus. The result may be miscarriage.

Fibroid tumor symptoms are the #1 reason women in their thirties or forties have hysterectomies in the USA each year. 1 in 4 women will have complaints serious enough to seek medical treatment for the symptoms of fibroid tumors.

Fortunately, only about 1% of fibroid tumors are malignant. Physicians with patient health in mind will advise that hysterectomy should be performed only in the event of malignancy or other life-threatening condition such as heavy uncontrolled bleeding. That means far too many hysterectomies and removal of the uterus are used as a fibroid tumor symptoms treatment. Some women with fibroids have no symptoms of fibroid tumors other than the fibroid itself. Other women will have one or more of the symptoms listed above.

Why do fibroid tumors develop? There are several known factors that cause fibroid tumor growth and fibroid tumor symptoms in women. And instead of submitting to hysterectomy surgery, there are effective alternative treatments for symptoms of fibroid tumors. Learn as much as you can about this common medical condition affecting so many women today.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

About the Author
Olinda Rola is a leading authority on womens health, President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com>http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a popular website on womens health. For information on fibroid treatments that work, visit http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/uterine-fibroids.html>http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/uterine-fibroids.html to learn more.