Same symptoms, different conditions — here's exactly how to tell them apart.
Benign (non-cancerous) muscle tumours that grow in or on the wall of the uterus. Very common in Black African women aged 30–50. Usually multiple.
A fluid-filled or semi-solid sac that forms on or inside an ovary. Most are functional (harmless, resolve on their own); some are pathological.
| Feature | Uterine Fibroid | Ovarian Cyst |
|---|---|---|
| Location | In the uterine wall, cavity, or protruding outward from uterus | On or inside one or both ovaries |
| Tissue type | Solid muscle (smooth muscle cells) | Usually fluid-filled sac; occasionally solid (dermoid, endometrioma) |
| Effect on periods | Heavy, prolonged bleeding; flooding; clots | Often no effect unless large or on both ovaries |
| Pain pattern | Pelvic pressure, heavy dragging ache; sharp pain if degeneration | Often none; sudden severe pain if rupture or torsion |
| Fertility impact | Can block tubes or distort uterine cavity | Endometriomas reduce ovarian reserve; torsion risks the ovary |
| Who gets it | Predominantly Black women, 30–50; hormone-sensitive (oestrogen) | Any woman of reproductive age; some post-menopause |
| Scan appearance | Solid hypoechoic mass within/attached to uterus | Anechoic (dark) simple cyst or complex cyst on ovary |
| Risk of cancer | Uterine sarcoma is rare (<0.5%); most fibroids are benign | Most cysts are benign; complex cysts in post-menopausal women need evaluation |
| Treatment | Hormonal therapy, Ulipristal, myomectomy, UAE, hysterectomy | Watchful waiting for functional cysts; surgery for large or complex cysts |
Location on ultrasound tells the story instantly. A fibroid is attached to or within the uterine wall — the sonographer will trace it as part of the uterus. An ovarian cyst sits separately on an ovary and has its own blood supply. Clinically: heavy, prolonged periods with clots and a dragging pelvic ache in a 30–50-year-old Black Nigerian woman strongly suggests fibroids. A sudden sharp one-sided pain in a younger woman, especially mid-cycle, leans toward an ovarian cyst — particularly a ruptured follicular cyst or ovarian torsion (which is an emergency).
Our doctors will review your symptoms and order exactly the right tests — no guesswork, no delay.
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