Symptoms Of Fibroids Bursting

If you have uterine fibroids, you may be worried about the possibility of a ruptured fibroid.

Do fibroids burst? What are the symptoms of fibroids bursting?

Here’s what you need to know about fibroids and what to watch for in case you have a ruptured fibroid.

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

If you’ve just found out you have uterine fibroids, you want to know all the details. Do uterine fibroids cause cancer? Can uterine fibroids burst? What exactly are uterine fibroids?

There isn’t too much cause to worry, as fibroids are common growths of the uterus that are not cancer—and almost never turn into cancer. Fibroids are not linked to a higher risk of other types of cancer in the uterus either.¹ 

Fibroids are tumors that grow from the muscle layers of the womb or uterus. There are four different types, depending where and how they grow.²

Also known as leiomyomas or myomas, fibroids vary in number and size—you can have one or several, and you can have one that’s too small to see or one that grows as big as a grapefruit or larger. 

Their growth patterns can vary too—growing slowly or quickly, or staying the same size. Sometimes they go through a type of “growth spurt”, and sometimes they shrink on their own.

In some cases, a large fibroid can distort the uterus. In other cases, you may not even know you have them, and they are found during a pelvic exam or pregnancy ultrasound.¹

Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids

While many women don’t have any symptoms of uterine fibroids, those with side effects may find they vary based on the location, size and number of fibroids. Some symptoms may be difficult to pinpoint as being caused by fibroids, like constipation.

Here are the most common side effects of uterine fibroids: 

• heavy menstrual bleeding or painful periods¹
• longer or more frequent periods¹
• bleeding between periods²
• pelvic pressure or pain¹
• frequent urination or trouble urinating¹
• pain in the stomach area or lower back, or pain during sex¹
• feeling “full” or a mild pressure in the lower abdomen²
• reproductive issues, including infertility, miscarriage and preterm labor²
• anemia from heavy or long-term bleeding²

Rarely, a fibroid can cause sudden, serious pain when it outgrows its blood supply and starts to die.¹

Can a woman with fibroids get pregnant? Fibroids usually don’t interfere with getting pregnant. But some fibroids can cause infertility or pregnancy loss, or create complications during pregnancy.¹

Why Do I Have Fibroids?

If you’ve got fibroids, you’re likely wondering: Why me? It isn’t clear what causes uterine fibroids, or why some women get them while others don’t. 

One factor could be hormones. Estrogen and progesterone are the hormones that cause the tissue inside your uterus to thicken during each menstrual cycle. These same two hormones also seem to help fibroids grow. 

As a result, fibroids often shrink after menopause, when hormone levels naturally drop. Fibroids that form during pregnancy can shrink or go away after pregnancy, as the uterus goes back to its usual size.¹

While any woman could develop fibroids, black people are more likely to have them than are people of other racial groups. As well, you’re at a higher risk if your mother or sister has or had fibroids. Other risk factors include starting your period before the age of 10, being obese, having a diet high in red meat, and drinking alcohol.¹

Symptoms Of Fibroids Bursting

Fibroid ruptures are very rare, but if it happens, it’s a serious medical condition that requires emergency care. 

Symptoms of fibroids bursting include:²

• acute abdominal pain
• low-grade fever
• high white blood cell count

Other symptoms of a burst fibroid may include bleeding between periods or heavy bleeding during periods.³

How does a ruptured fibroid feel? Since this means the fibroid has broken open, and since fibroids have blood vessels and nerves, a burst fibroid can bleed. The biggest feeling that results is abdominal pain. A ruptured fibroid can also cause acute blood loss that may become life-threatening.³

Ruptured fibroids can cause serious health risks if you are pregnant. On the other hand, the increased blood pressure within the veins can cause a fibroid to burst during pregnancy.³

As for what causes a fibroid to rupture, there are several possibilities:²

• the fibroid growing larger than the blood supply can feed
• an increase in abdominal pressure
• an injury that causes the fibroid to tear away from the uterus
• twisting of a fibroid that has grown from a stalk-like structure in the uterus
• an increase in blood pressure in veins during pregnancy

There’s another rare possibility called fibroid expulsion. This is when the fibroid detaches from the uterus and passes from the body. This is an unusual occurrence, estimated to happen to less than 5 percent of women.²

How To Prevent Ruptured Fibroids 

It’s not possible to provide exact steps to prevent ruptured fibroids, since it happens rarely. But you can address your fibroids by first seeking diagnosis if you suspect you have them. See a doctor if you have any of the symptoms of fibroids. It may be possible to receive diagnosis with a non-invasive examination like an ultrasound.³

If you do have fibroids, discuss a treatment plan—if necessary—with your doctor.  

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, here are some treatment options for fibroids:

1. Since fibroid formation may be caused by estrogen and progesterone, one option is to take medication that can help regulate the menstrual cycle by blocking the body from making these hormones.²
2. Uterine fibroid embolization is a non-surgical treatment option that cuts off blood supply to the fibroids, which causes them to shrink and die. Imaging technology guides a catheter through the groin or wrist to the fibroid artery. The uterine arteries that supply blood to existing fibroids are blocked, effectively “killing” the fibroids, and any remaining fibroid tissue is naturally reabsorbed by the body.⁴
3. For women who no longer want to have children, a hysterectomy is a treatment option. New fibroids can’t form once the uterus is gone. However, a  traditional hysterectomy is major surgery, so another option is laparoscopic hysterectomy, where the surgeon removes the uterus through three or four small incisions in the wall of the abdomen. Recovery is quicker, and there are usually fewer complications than with a traditional hysterectomy.²
4. A laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy is a procedure in which a surgeon removes the fibroids and leaves the uterus in place.⁵
5. Radiofrequency ablation provides energy that destroys uterine fibroids and shrinks the blood vessels that feed them. This procedure can be done by laparoscopy through small cuts in the stomach area, or through the vagina or cervix.⁵

These are just a few examples of treatment options for fibroids, which you can discuss with your doctor. Your age, whether you want to get pregnant, and the severity of your symptoms will all be factors in choosing a treatment plan. You can always be alert for burst fibroids, but remember that it’s an extremely rare occurrence.

See A Doctor 

While uterine fibroids are not generally a cause for concern, you should see a doctor for proper diagnosis, or if you’re suffering from unusual symptoms. 

For instance, see your doctor if you have pelvic pain that doesn’t go away, heavy or painful periods, spotting or bleeding between periods, trouble emptying your bladder, or ongoing tiredness and weakness that could signal anemia. Seek immediate medical care if you have severe bleeding from the vagina or sharp pelvic pain that comes on fast.¹

If you suspect you have a burst fibroid, see your doctor even if symptoms aren’t acute. You’ll receive proper diagnosis of the rupture, and early intervention will provide the chance for effective treatment options. Leaving a burst fibroid without treating it may make it worse, and your treatment plan may then be more invasive.³

Use our Physician Finder to find a doctor near you with expertise in women’s health who can answer your questions about uterine fibroids. You can also seek guidance on other women’s pelvic health issues, like pelvic floor muscles exercises. You can use a tool like the INNOVO Urinary Incontinence Kit, which helps you perform 180 perfect Kegels in 30 minutes. Subscribe to the INNOVO newsletter to receive a $25 discount code for your purchase!