There are many different symptoms you may experience with fibroids.

Fibroids can cause a range of symptom, for many women they will go unnoticed, some women discover they have them by accident when having a scan for other reasons, and for the women severely affected, symptoms can be life limiting. 

The types of symptoms fibroids can cause very much depends on where the fibroids are in and around the womb.

Bleeding

Bleeding is the most common problem seen with fibroids. This is due to the  fibroids that are sitting close to the inner lining of the womb. Here they disrupt the tissue that normally thickens and sheds to form a period.

The fibroids can cause new blood vessels to grow, bleed easily and disrupt the normal process of producing a period.

Periods can be heavier than normal, causing flooding (filling 1-2 pads per hour) and sometimes clots as big as 50p coin. 

Bleeding can be more prolonged than usual, lasting more than 7 days or more frequently than the usual 21-28 day cycle. Spotting in between periods is also common.

Remember, heavy bleeding or a change in bleeding can be caused by other things, not just fibroids. A change in period bleeding pattern should always be checked by your doctor.

Pain

Not all fibroids cause pain, but some women can experience stronger cramps or even severe period pain at any time of the cycle. The womb has lots of nerves and the presence of the fibroids can cause problems.

When the womb tries to tighten each month with the process of shedding a period, fibroids in the muscle layer can make it harder for this process and so stronger cramps may be noticed.

Pain may not just be noticed as tummy cramps, sometimes the pain can be felt in the lower back and around the pelvis. This is due to the positioning of nerves in the pelvis that can be irritated by the fibroids.

Bladder pressure

Fibroids that are on the outside of the womb have lots of space to grow and sometimes if the womb itself has grown in size because of them, they can put pressure on the bladder. Your womb sits very close to the bladder and so if there are fibroids pushing on the bladder it can cause:

• feeling the urge to wee (pass urine) more often
• discomfort when having a wee
• leaking or wee when coughing or sneezing (incontinence)

Bowel cramps

Just like fibroids can put pressure on the bladder, they can also put pressure on the bowel which also sits nearby in your tummy.

This pressure can cause:

• bloating
• bowel cramps
• constipation
• difficulty passing wind

Bloating

Some women notice their tummy looking fuller or more distended with fibroids and this can be due to many different reasons. Women often describe this is a 'fibroid belly'.

Sometimes the fibroids make the womb grow in size, similar to when being pregnant. Doctors sometimes describe the size of a uterus by comparing it to a stage in pregnancy. 

Other causes for the bloating can be due to the bowel being disturbed causing constipation or a build up of wind. Sometimes the tummy can naturally swell or bloat when something is happening as the body tries to respond to what is happening.

It is important to remember that these symptoms can be related to other causes, and any new or change in symptoms should be checked by your doctor. 

Remember that these symptoms can improve or resolve with the right treatment for fibroids, and many of our products have been curated to help provide additional relief for some of these symptoms.

Medical disclaimer - This information is for education only and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. Heavy bleeding, long periods, bleeding in between periods, or non-stop bleeding should always be checked by a GP or healthcare professional. They can arrange scans or tests to find the cause and discuss the right treatment options for you.

Author, Dr Liz Murray June 2026

References:

• Murray, L. Not Just Painful Periods, 2026, Octopus Publishing
• NICE Guidelines Online, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, April 2023, Health Topics A to Z > Fibroids, https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/fibroids/ (Accessed online, 2026)
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018) Dysmenorrhoea: ClinicalKnowledge Summary 2014

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018) Heavy menstrual bleeding:assessment and management