Other Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Uterine Fibroids

Many health problems can cause symptoms that are the same as or similar to those of Reference uterine fibroids Opens New Window. Health problems with similar symptoms need to be ruled out before fibroids are diagnosed.

Conditions that can cause changes in menstrual periods include:

• An abnormal growth outside of the uterus (adnexal mass).
• Reference Adenomyosis Opens New Window, the growth of the uterine lining into the uterine muscle, which can cause pain and bleeding.
• An abnormally shaped uterus (uterine anomaly).
• Reference Endometrial hyperplasia Opens New Window, precancerous cell changes in the uterine lining.
• Endometrial Reference polyps Opens New Window.
• Reference Endometrial cancer Opens New Window.
• Reference Endometriosis Opens New Window.
• Fluctuating Reference hormone Opens New Window levels.
• Reference Ovarian cysts Opens New Window.

Conditions that can cause female pelvic pain include:

• Endometriosis and adenomyosis.
• Ovarian cysts.
• A mass outside of the uterus (adnexal mass).
• Reference Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Opens New Window.
• Scar tissue in the pelvis (Reference adhesions Opens New Window).
• Reference Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) Opens New Window.
• A tubal-ovarian Reference abscess Opens New Window.
• Physical or sexual abuse.
• Urinary tract problems.
• Bowel problems.

Cancers of the female reproductive organs that can cause pain or bleeding include:

• Cancer of the lining of the uterus (Reference endometrial cancer Opens New Window).
• Cancer of an ovary (Reference ovarian cancer Opens New Window).
• Cancer of the cervix or opening of the uterus (Reference cervical cancer Opens New Window).
• Cancer of the muscle wall of the uterus (leiomyosarcoma).

These forms of cancer may cause symptoms similar to those caused by noncancerous conditions, such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

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