You must have often come across the term ovarian cyst. There are quite a few women who complain of abdominal pain and obesity. These are some problems associated with cysts. These cysts can come in air sacs or have a more solid structure. Ovaries form in the main center of the female reproductive system. Functional ovarian cysts are not a risk and often disappear within a month or two. However, it is the disease-causing one that needs attention.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome and ovarian cancer are diseases related to abnormal growths in the ovaries. If you have issues with your health, especially in the lower abdomen, you should consult your physician. They will be able to guide you further.
Meanwhile, if you want to learn more about the various aspects of the disease, keep reading.
Causes and Symptoms
The cause behind the occurrence of cysts is not yet known. Some females do not even know that they have cysts. But it is often the larger ones that cause problems. The larger cysts manifest themselves in a few symptoms and can lead to pelvic pain.
Additionally, you might also have a dull backache. Bloating is another symptom that arises from larger cysts inside the ovaries. You might also have pain during certain activities. To add to your woes, cysts often cause painful periods. If the disease assumes a chronic form, it is known as Polycystic ovary syndrome. You can suffer from obesity, infertility, and other hormone-related problems.
Cysts also occur in the first trimester of pregnancy when the placenta is not well-developed. It either reabsorbs itself or stays till the end stages of pregnancy. It is a harmless one. Some more common causes of cysts revolve around whether you are menstruating or not. Premenopausal women can also develop Dermoid cysts and Endometriosis. Moreover, health experts refer to the latter as a chocolate cyst. You will also come across severe pelvic infection-causing cysts.
Hirsutism or body hair can be another problem. If you see any of these happening to you or your family members, consult your gynecologist, obstetrician, or a physician specializing in women’s health as soon as possible. If a cyst breaks, it often causes much pain in the abdomen. So you or your loved one will need urgent medical attention. If immediate medical attention is not given, it might lead to sepsis. It is a life-threatening condition when the body’s immune response attacks the responsible organisms. Antibiotics are given to drain the cysts.
Diagnoses and Tests
The doctor first tests if you have conceived. That might be one of the reasons for uneasiness in the abdomen. If you are not pregnant, your doctor might ask you to undergo other tests to diagnose a cyst. Moreover, it is a widespread problem today. A pelvic examination is often the first diagnostic modality used to find abnormalities. The doctor examines the reproductive organs for lumps and growths.
Your doctor also needs to check your blood test reports. They can reveal a lot about over-secretion or under-secretion of hormones. The CA125 blood test is one test that can show a lot about your protein levels in the blood. Cancer antigen 125 is often found in a high amount in women who have ovarian cancer. If your cysts are semi-solid, you are at a higher risk. Ultrasound waves in USG are used to detect what is on inside the uterus and ovaries.
Treatment
Most doctors ask to wait and watch. After that, if the cysts do not break down on their own, the doctor might ask you to take birth control pills. That stops the ovulation process and further development of cysts. If you do not ovulate, cysts will not form. The treatment for different types of cysts is different from one another.
Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure to remove cysts. Some healthcare professionals also call it a keyhole cyst. The doctor will make a small cut to remove the cysts with the help of a device. You can also undergo laparotomy. The process uses a more significant cut to remove the cysts. Sometimes, a doctor might also remove fat and ovaries. There are lymph nodes inside the body. That contain infection-fighting cells and cancer cells, often. So, your doctor might remove those too.
After the issue related to your cysts is resolved, you need to go for regular check-ups. If you do not have more symptoms, a test or screening might not be required. Some cysts re-occur and some cysts are cancerous, so they might further complicate and lead to blood poisoning if you leave them untreated.
You can now quickly identify the disease’s causes, symptoms, and treatments. Being well-informed means readiness if such a situation ever arises.
