Perhaps you’ve already taken ibuprofen or aspirin for pain relief — to no avail.
And if you’re a woman who has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, it’s perfectly understandable how persistent, recurring pain can leave you bedridden or simply withdrawn and uncomfortable while with others.
But when that pain is localized to the back rather than your abdomen, is it even tied to your uterine fibroids? And how else might you experience pain?
The Common Occurrence That is Pain
Many women living with uterine fibroids are no strangers to pain. After all, it is one of the most common — if not the most common — symptoms of fibroids.
Most often, women experience this sensation in their lower abdomen. This is because “the pain and pressure symptoms associated with uterine fibroids generally result from the weight of the fibroid itself pressing or resting on the pelvic organs, rather than the fibroid itself hurting,” Healthline explains.
Other women may experience pain that occurs specifically during menstrual periods or during intercourse. Deep dyspareunia, specifically, is the term used to describe pain that occurs deep within the vagina during intercourse.
Leg pain may also occur for some if a fibroid were to grow large enough to obstruct blood flow to one extremity.
The Particulars of Lower Back Pain
While back pain may not be the first symptom that comes to mind for most people, it is actually commonly occurring, as cited by both John Hopkins and Cleveland Clinic.
This occurs, according to UCSF Health, because some fibroids may “press against the muscles and nerves of the lower back and cause back pain,” albeit larger fibroids “on the back surface of the uterus is more likely to cause back pain than a small fibroid within the uterine wall.”
In other words, the size and location of a fibroid may determine whether or not it is the cause of a woman’s back pain.
In 2010, a case report was also published wherein women believed to have been living with lumbar radiculopathy — or lower back pain related to spinal compressions or nerve inflammation. In reality, these women were found to be living with uterine fibroids as the source of their pain.
Symptom Solutions with Duval Vascular & Fibroid Center
At the end of the day, you shouldn’t have to live with pain — regardless of where it is located. That’s why, here at Duval Vascular & Fibroid Center, we offer state-of-the-art solutions in a comfortable outpatient setting!
Specifically, we offer uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), which…
- Is FDA-approved
- Is minimally invasive
- Is completed in an average of one hour
- Requires little to no downtime
- Features a high patient satisfaction rate
- And more!
So, are you ready to find lasting relief from fibroid-related back pain? Then we can help. Reach out to our team today by calling 904-423-6017 to schedule your first appointment.
