At USA Fibroid Centers, many of our patients share the frustration of looking pregnant while struggling with infertility. In cases where women who are not pregnant notice they have an unusually swollen lower abdomen, it’s possible they are dealing with an enlarged uterus. An enlarged uterus can be caused by several issues, including uterine fibroids. No matter the cause, a bulging belly can contribute to pain in the lower abdomen, bloating, constipation, headaches, abnormal menstruation, frequent urination, and infertility.
Contact your doctor for an accurate medical diagnosis to determine the cause of your stomach bulge. If you have abdominal fibroid bloating, we recommend visiting a fibroid specialist to learn about your treatment options.
Understanding Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors located in or on the uterus. Many women suffer from fibroids, with up to 80% having them at some point by the time they are 50.¹ Typically, uterine fibroids appear during a woman’s childbearing years, with African-American women or those with a family history of fibroids being at a higher risk.
There are five different types of fibroids, including:
- Intramural Fibroids: Grow within the muscular walls of the uterus, with common symptoms such as heavy periods and pelvic or lower back pain.
- Subserosal Fibroids: Develop outside the uterus, bulging into the pelvic or abdominal cavity. Symptoms usually impact surrounding organs, including the bladder and bowels.
- Submucosal Fibroids: Form within the inner lining of the uterus and can cause very heavy menstrual bleeding, anemia, and large menstrual clots.
- Pedunculated Fibroids: Attached to the uterine wall by a peduncle or stalk. It can develop inside or outside the uterus, so symptoms are based on where they occur.
- Calcified Fibroids: Form after a fibroid has outgrown its blood supply and gone through fibroid degeneration, causing calcium deposits to develop on the remaining fibroid tissue. Symptoms depend on the fibroid’s location.
Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids
Fibroid stomach swelling is only one of the symptoms of fibroids, which can vary from mild to severe. Regardless of severity, seeking treatment for fibroids is important, as they can grow and worsen symptoms.
If you aren’t sure whether you have fibroids, there are a few common symptoms to watch out for, including:
- Heavy or prolonged periods
- Pelvic pain or pressure
- Pain in the lower back or leg
- Frequent urination
- Constipation
- Pain during intercourse
- Anemia
Use our symptom checker to determine whether your symptoms may be caused by fibroids.
Do Fibroids Cause Bloating?
There is always a possibility of fibroids growing larger as long as they have a consistent blood supply. As a result, fibroids can sometimes cause the uterus to expand, leading to a swollen lower abdomen, which is often interlinked with weight gain. Many women are surprised to learn large fibroids can grow to the size of a watermelon and weigh between 20 and 40 pounds.
Besides fibroid stomach bulge, other possible causes for bloating or an enlarged uterus include adenomyosis and ovarian cysts. The best way to determine if you have an enlarged uterus and its cause is to seek treatment.
Today, fibroid treatment is widely available. It can alleviate symptoms like fibroid belly bulge and help flatten the stomach after fibroid removal.
How Does Fibroid Stomach Swelling Happen?
If your stomach is bulging because of uterine fibroids, you may wonder how fibroids can cause this abdominal swelling. As fibroids grow, the uterus sometimes needs to expand to accommodate them. Your uterus is a muscular organ that can transform from the size of a fist to that of a baby and even larger.
Abdominal fibroid bloating can cause a woman’s stomach to be as large as if she is five months pregnant. Along with causing extreme discomfort and possible damage to surrounding organs, abdominal bloating resulting from fibroids can cause mental and emotional distress. Studies show women suffering from fibroids and its accompanying symptoms, such as abdominal bloating, are more likely to experience higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to women without fibroids.²
At USA Fibroid Centers, our team of fibroid specialists is dedicated to improving your physical and emotional well-being. Non-surgical fibroid treatments, like uterine fibroid embolization, can effectively manage fibroid symptoms such as heavy bleeding, pain, and pressure.
What Does a Fibroid Stomach Bulge Feel Like?
Many women first notice an expanding waistline when clothing begins fitting differently, while others have difficulty bending over or moving around. Another common symptom is pain occurring around your period or around other times of your cycle. Pain levels can range from occasional and mild to severe and constant. This pain may extend beyond the back and through the hips and legs, inhibiting mobility and decreasing daily quality of life.
Along with experiencing pain and a swollen lower abdomen, other symptoms indicating the possibility of stomach swelling due to fibroids are:
- Issues with menstruation, such as heavy and irregular bleeding
- Frequent urination
- Digestive problems
- Constipation
- Headaches
If you notice a combination of these symptoms, the best next step is to consult a fibroid specialist for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment for Fibroid Belly Bulge
If you are concerned that you may have a fibroid stomach bulge, don’t wait to seek treatment. Uterine fibroids can damage surrounding organs, affect fertility, and cause painful, uncomfortable, and inconvenient symptoms.
At USA Fibroid Centers, we strive to educate women about their full range of uterine fibroid treatment options. Although many believe a hysterectomy is the only available treatment, a minimally invasive surgical treatment option known as uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) can alleviate symptoms.
UFE is a clinic-based, outpatient procedure that successfully treats fibroids, does not require a hospital stay, takes only 30 to 45 minutes, and allows you to return to most normal activities within one to two weeks.
How UFE Positively Changed Patient’s Lives
Most women who undergo uterine fibroid embolization experience a significant transformation in their lives for the better. Many report an improvement or elimination of their symptoms, such as:
- Lighter periods
- Less severe cramps, if any
- Less abdominal bloating, if any
- Normal urination
- Resolution of anemia
- Reduction in their fibroid belly bulge
- Weight loss
Our patients who suffered from symptoms such as abdominal fibroid bloating shared their experiences with UFE and the impact it had on their lives below:
“USA Fibroid Center saved my life!! I no longer suffer from heavy periods, bad cramping, and very bad bloating,” said Mariel T, who visited the Suffren, New York location, “I suffered for a couple of years with it, and once I saw that they had this [USA Fibroid] center in my area, I made an appointment right away. Dr. Ahmad and his team were amazing. After my embolization, I feel amazing and no longer suffer from long periods or pain. I totally recommend looking into this; they made my journey so easy.”
Another one of our patients, Mzniky, said about her experience in Flatbush, NY that, “This company will always be recommended by me. Living with fibroids for years gave me a great state of depression. I hurt all the time, gained massive weight, and was always asked when I was due. I [saw] the commercial and called; from day one, when I was setting up my appointment, I was treated great. The team is professional and caring. They provide top-notch information about the problem and how they can fix it. Today was my [surgery] and I was treated with total confidence and care. I love this business and recommend it to all! Next, I will schedule an appointment for my varicose veins because I trust them. I rushed home for recovery and noticed I felt different, my stomach looked smaller. Thank you, USA Fibroid Centers.”
Learn more about our patients’ experiences with UFE and life after fibroids here.
Visit USA Fibroid Centers for Fibroid Treatment
Uterine fibroids can enlarge the uterus, causing a bulge in the lower abdomen. This can be a source of physical discomfort and emotional distress for many women. Our goal is to empower you with knowledge about fibroids and explore treatment options to manage this condition effectively.
With clinic locations nationwide offering fibroid treatment consultations near you, you can get the care you need when you need it.
To learn more about UFE and how it can help with your fibroid belly bulge, schedule an appointment online or call us at 855.615.2555.
Sources
- “The Fibroid Fix: What Women Need to Know,” Society of Interventional Radiology, August 29, 2017.
- Stephanie E Chiuve et al., “Uterine Fibroids and Incidence of Depression, Anxiety and Self-Directed Violence: A Cohort Study,” Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, January 2022.
