From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Most ovarian cysts are functional in nature and harmless. In the US, ovarian cysts are found in nearly all premenopausal women, and in up to 14.8% of postmenopausal women.
Ovarian cysts affect women of all ages. They occur most often, however, during a woman's childbearing years.
Some ovarian cysts cause problems, such as bleeding and pain. Surgery may be required to remove cysts larger than 5 centimeters in diameter.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovarian_cyst
Signs and symptoms
Some or all of the following symptoms may be present, though it is possible not to experience any symptoms:
- Dull aching, or severe, sudden, and sharp pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen (one or both sides), pelvis, vagina, lower back, or thighs; pain may be constant or intermittent—this is the most common symptom
- Fullness, heaviness, pressure, swelling, or bloating in the abdomen
- Breast tenderness
- Pain during or shortly after beginning or end of menstrual period.
- Irregular periods, or abnormal uterine bleeding or spotting
- Change in frequency or ease of urination (such as inability to fully empty the bladder), or difficulty with bowel movements due to pressure on adjacent pelvic anatomy
- Weight gain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Infertility
- Increased level of hair growth
- Increased facial hair or body hair
- Headaches
- Strange pains in ribs, which feel muscular
- Bloating
- Strange nodules that feel like bruises under the layer of skin
Treatment
About 95% of ovarian cysts are benign, meaning they are not cancerous.[7]
Treatment for cysts depends on the size of the cyst and symptoms.
Pain caused by ovarian cysts may be treated with:
- pain relievers, including acetaminophen/paracetamol (Tylenol), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), or narcotic pain medicine (by prescription) may help reduce pelvic pain.[8] NSAIDs usually work best when taken at the first signs of the pain.
- a warm bath, or heating pad, or hot water bottle applied to the lower abdomen near the ovaries can relax tense muscles and relieve cramping, lessen discomfort, and stimulate circulation and healing in the ovaries.[9] Bags of ice covered with towels can be used alternately as cold treatments to increase local circulation.[10]
- combined methods of hormonal contraception such as the combined oral contraceptive pill – the hormones in the pills may regulate the menstrual cycle, prevent the formation of follicles that can turn into cysts, and possibly shrink an existing cyst. (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1999c; Mayo Clinic, 2002e)[8]
Cysts that persist beyond two or three menstrual cycles, or occur in post-menopausal women, may indicate more serious disease and should be investigated through ultrasonography and laparoscopy, especially in cases where family members have had ovarian cancer. Such cysts may require surgical biopsy. Additionally, a blood test may be taken before surgery to check for elevated CA-125, a tumor marker, which is often found in increased levels in ovarian cancer, although it can also be elevated by other conditions resulting in a large number of false positives.[11]
For more serious cases where cysts are large and persisting, doctors may suggest surgery. Some surgeries can be performed to successfully remove the cyst(s) without hurting the ovaries, while others may require removal of one or both ovaries.
