How to treat ovarian cysts and is it always necessary

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Sometimes surgery may be required.

What is an ovarian cyst

An Ovarian Cysts / Medscape ovary is a fluid-filled cavity inside or on the surface of an ovary that increases its volume. Such benign lesions often appear in women of childbearing age, Ovarian Cysts / Medscape are found in almost everyone before menopause and in 18% during menopause. Sometimes there are several cysts on the ovaries at once.

Why they appear, no one knows for sure. But doctors identify risk factors for Ovarian cysts / Mayo Clinic:

• Hormonal Disorders.
• Pregnancy.
• Endometriosis
• Infections of the pelvic organs.
• Ovarian cysts in the past.

Small cysts are usually not dangerous, and large ones can lead to complications.

What are the cysts

Two large groups of neoplasms can be distinguished.

Functional

The occurrence of Ovarian Cysts / Medscape of these cysts is associated with the menstrual cycle and hormonal changes in the ovaries.

• Follicular … In the first half of the cycle, a woman's follicles mature - small bubbles, inside which there is an egg. During ovulation, one dominant follicle bursts and the egg is sent to the fallopian tube. But if the body produces too much follicle-stimulating hormone or not enough luteinizing hormone, the follicle cannot rupture. It continues to grow in size and usually reaches a diameter of 2.5 cm or more. Moreover, its cells secrete the sex hormone estradiol, so the number of menstruation decreases in a woman.
• Cysts of the corpus luteum … The corpus luteum is a temporary hormonal gland that forms at the site of a ruptured follicle. If in 14 days after ovulation it has not collapsed, despite the fact that conception has not occurred, a cavity with a diameter of up to 3 cm is formed, which can cause unpleasant symptoms.
• Theca-luteal … They occur in pregnant women at the site of the follicles due to too high a concentration of the hormone hCG. Moreover, cavities are formed on the surface of two ovaries at once. Such cysts can appear with multiple pregnancies, as well as with hormonal drugs that stimulate ovulation, and with trophoblastic disease.

Pathological

These cysts are less common and are not associated with normal menstrual function Ovarian cysts / Mayo Clinic.

• Dermoid … They arise even during the period of intrauterine development of a woman due to the incorrect location of the rudiments of the tissues of the embryo. Therefore, hair, skin and even teeth are often found inside such a cyst.
• Cystadenomas … Such neoplasms appear on the surface of the ovary and are filled with mucus or fluid. It is believed that cystadenomas arise at the site of functional cysts, and, possibly, infection contributes to this.
• Endometriomas … Their appearance is associated with endometriosis - a disease in which cells of the lining of the uterus grow in other places. If they enter the ovary, a cyst forms, inside which blood accumulates with each menstrual cycle. Therefore, the contents of the cyst are like liquid chocolate.

Why are ovarian cysts dangerous?

Neoplasms are not always harmless. A cyst can:

• Twist. This usually happens if it is more than 4 cm in diameter Ovarian Cysts / Medscape. At the same time, the base of the cyst is pinched, in which the vessels feeding it are located. As a result, the woman has acute abdominal pain, and the body temperature rises.
• Tear. Then its contents enter the abdominal cavity. This is often accompanied by bleeding. Then there is a sharp pain in the abdomen, cold sweat appears, blood pressure drops and heart rate increases. This condition is deadly, so an ambulance is needed.
• Cause fertility problems. Usually due to endometriotic Ovarian cysts and infertility: A connection? / Mayo Clinic Cysts disrupt the menstrual cycle.
• Turn into cancer. There is speculation that Ovarian Cysts / Medscape cystadenomas can become cancerous, but there is no 100% proof of this yet. But most of the dermoid and endometrioid cysts are capable of degenerating into cancer.

What are the symptoms of an ovarian cyst

Many women do not even know that they have formed a cyst, because there are no signs of pathology. But sometimes, due to a neoplasm, various symptoms of Ovarian Cysts / Medscape appear:

• Aching pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen.
• Soreness during intercourse.
• Constipation.
• False urge to defecate and pressure in the pelvis.
• Frequent urination.
• Menstrual irregularities.
• Bloating.
• Indigestion, heartburn, and a quick feeling of fullness with large cysts, as they press on the internal organs.
• Premature puberty with cysts in girls, when secondary sexual characteristics appear Precocious puberty / Mayo Clinic before 8 years.

What to do if signs of an ovarian cyst appear

A woman needs to see a gynecologist. He will examine the chair and order the Ovarian cysts / Mayo Clinic examinations:

• Pregnancy test.
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs. It will help to find the location of the cyst, determine its size and structure of the walls.
• Laparoscopy. An operation during which a tube with a video camera is inserted into the abdomen.
• Analysis for CA-125. This substance is called a tumor marker. It increases with malignant neoplasms of the ovaries, therefore, an analysis is prescribed to exclude cancer. But the study is not always accurate: sometimes a false result appears with fibroids, endometriosis or inflammatory diseases.

How are ovarian cysts treated?

It all depends on what type of neoplasm has arisen, whether there is a risk of complications and what is the age of the woman.

Observation

If menopause is not coming soon, and the woman has a small cyst, most likely nothing needs to be done. Indeed, for example, 70–80% of follicular cysts pass Ovarian Cysts / Medscape on their own. The doctor will suggest that Ovarian cysts / Mayo Clinic come for an ultrasound scan in a month, and in some cases, periodically repeat the examination.

If a woman has a cyst during menopause Ovarian Cysts Treatment & Management / Medscape, the size of the neoplasm is less than 10 cm, while there are no symptoms and the level of tumor markers is normal, the gynecologist will suggest repeating the ultrasound and analysis for CA-125 in 4-6 weeks.

Medicines

Sometimes doctors prescribe hormonal contraceptives. But they will not reduce the existing cyst with Ovarian Cysts Treatment & Management / Medscape, but will only prevent a new one from developing.

Ovarian Cysts Medication / Medscape OTC drugs are used to relieve pain. And in severe cases in the hospital, the doctor uses narcotic painkillers.

Operation

If the cyst grows Ovarian Cysts Medication / Medscape longer than 2-3 menstrual cycles, does not look like a functional one, and the woman has unpleasant symptoms, the gynecologist will suggest removing the neoplasm or completely the ovary. This is done by the method of laparoscopy through small punctures in the abdomen, and in some cases laparotomy is offered. This operation is performed through an incision in the anterior abdominal wall.

Postmenopausal women who are at high risk of developing ovarian cancer are more likely to have their ovaries removed from both sides.

After the operation, any removed cyst will be sent to the laboratory for examination. If it turns out that it is a cancerous tumor, then the woman will be referred to a gynecological oncologist. And he will already decide whether chemotherapy or radiation treatment is needed.