Throughout life, a woman inevitably encounters gynecological problems. One of the most common is an ovarian cyst, the symptoms of which can significantly impair the quality of life. No one is safe from this pathology, but women of childbearing age are at particular risk. What are the causes and symptoms of ovarian cysts in women? How to treat pathology?
What it is?
An ovarian cyst is a cavity filled with fluid that occurs on the organ as a result of certain processes. This is a neoplasm, but, unlike a tumor, it increases in size due to filling with a secret, and not due to the growth of tissue cells.
By the nature of the accumulation of fluid, several types of cysts are distinguished:
- luteal occurs in the case of pathological accumulation of fluid in the endocrine gland;
- serous cystosis occurs in the case of a capsule with gray, yellow or brown liquid;
- a mucinous cyst most often affects both ovaries at once, it is filled with a jelly-like secret.
Signs and symptoms of ovarian cysts in women depend on the type of neoplasm.
What are cysts?
Women of childbearing age are at risk of pathology. In most cases, it is a benign tumor. There are several main varieties of ovarian cysts, the causes and symptoms of which may differ:
- The follicular is formed in the absence of ovulation - when instead of bursting, the follicle continues to grow and accumulate fluid in itself.
- A paraovarial cyst is a capsule with a liquid that occurs in the epididymis. In the process of growth, it can reach huge sizes (seen in the photo). Symptoms and treatment of large ovarian cysts are most often more serious.
- The corpus luteum cyst is characterized by the formation of a yellow follicle and small size. Like a follicular formation, it can occur and disappear suddenly.
- Dermoid neoplasm is congenital. It, unlike other cysts, contains, in addition to fluid, fragments of hair, teeth, bone and cartilage (see photo below). Symptoms of an ovarian cyst with this filling are similar to any other neoplasm. Most often it is diagnosed in adolescence at the first visits to the gynecologist.
- The endometrioid is formed as a result of a mutation of endometrial cells. As a result, a cavity filled with a dark liquid is formed.
- Mucinous - a cyst divided into several cavities, each of which is filled with a thick liquid similar to mucus.
- Functional arises as a result of hormonal failure and passes without a trace during subsequent monthly cycles.
- Hemorrhagic arises as a result of damage to blood vessels and hemorrhage in the ovary. Requires surgical intervention.
Liquid-filled ovary formation is a fairly common problem that women experience while experiencing unpleasant manifestations and symptoms. Treatment of a woman’s ovarian cysts depends on the correct determination of her variety.
Symptoms of pathology
Often, cystic neoplasms do not have any visible manifestations. Moreover, they are able to independently disappear after a few monthly cycles after their appearance. However, despite this, some women still experience symptoms of ovarian cysts:
- Pain in the lower abdomen, having a different nature and manifesting regardless of the day of the monthly cycle.
- A feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen, which may increase in the evening.
- Pathologically painful menstruation, especially if before the appearance of the cyst it passed without discomfort.
- Monthly cycle failure.
- Bloody vaginal discharge in the middle of the cycle.
- Nausea, abdominal discomfort after physical exertion, sex.
- Unpleasant sensations during urination.
- Increase in body temperature to a mark of 38 degrees and above.
- Unusually profuse bleeding during menstruation (change of hygiene products more often than 1 time in 3 hours).
- Dizziness, a feeling of weakness in the body, malaise, as in the onset of a cold.
- Unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant throughout the year.
- Frequent and sharp jumps in blood pressure.
- Rapid weight loss for no apparent reason.
- Often a thirsty feeling.
In addition, in rare cases, excessive hairiness of the face and chest may be noted, which indicates hormonal failure. All these symptoms of ovarian cysts in women require an immediate visit to a gynecologist who will find out their cause and prescribe the right therapy.
Why does a tumor appear?
Does treatment depend on the causes and symptoms of ovarian cysts? Definitely yes! Unfortunately, modern medicine does not give an unambiguous answer as to why it can be formed. In this case, there are a number of prerequisites that can trigger the development of cystic education:
- Inflammation of the pelvic organs, especially those that have not been completely treated.
- A variety of infectious diseases, including those that are sexually transmitted.
- Early puberty, the onset of menstruation up to 11 years.
- Obesity of any degree.
- Disorders of the hormonal background.
- Surgical intervention to terminate pregnancy or artificial birth.
- Alcohol abuse, smoking.
- Incorrect thyroid function.
- Lack of ovulation, abnormal follicle formation.
- Frequent stressful situations.
- Long-term use of hormonal drugs.
Only a gynecologist can tell about the causes of the appearance after an accurate description of the symptoms of the ovarian cyst, as well as after the examination.
Pathology Diagnostics
It is necessary to conduct a series of studies before proceeding with treatment. Symptoms of ovarian cysts are insidious, since they are similar to manifestations of other gynecological diseases. The most commonly used survey methods are:
- Ultrasound diagnostics can clearly identify the problem. In this case, it is performed using a transvaginal sensor. The difference from the classic ultrasound procedure is that this device is inserted directly into the vagina.
- Magnetic resonance imaging provides information on the condition of the ovaries, as well as on the number of follicles and cystic formations.
- Computed tomography allows a good view of the structure of cysts.
- Blood tests for hormones - testosterone, estrogen, as well as tumor markers.
- Laparoscopic diagnosis, which makes it possible to remove the formation immediately after its discovery.
- A pregnancy test or a blood test for hCG hormone in order to exclude ectopic fetal development.
An experienced specialist should deal with the diagnosis of pathology, since subsequent therapy depends on this.
Drug therapy
Surgical treatment is not always indicated for this pathology. Symptoms of ovarian cysts in women can indicate the initial stage of the disease or in a form that is effectively eliminated by drug therapy. For this, drugs such as:
- Oral contraceptives, the course of treatment of which lasts several months. They block the work of the ovaries, at the same time stopping the growth of cysts, as well as preventing the formation of new ones.
- Vitamin complexes.
In cases of a small pathology that does not threaten women's health, you can limit yourself to conservative treatment. Symptoms of ovarian cysts in women and girls also disappear. Most often, drug therapy is prescribed in cases where the pathology does not interfere with the work of the organ, there is no inflammation and suppuration of the soft tissues.
Surgical intervention
Sometimes medication does not bring the desired results. Symptoms of ovarian cysts in women and girls at the same time persist and worsen the quality of life. In such cases, surgery is indicated. The following types of surgical interventions are practiced:
- Laparoscopy is the most acceptable and less traumatic way to remove the cyst, since only a few small incisions are made to remove the formation, which quickly heal after the operation. Despite the widespread use of this type of surgery, laparoscopy is possible only if ovarian cancer is completely excluded.
- Cystectomy - removal of education with minimal organ damage. Often practiced on small cysts.
- Wedge-shaped resection of the ovary involves the removal of pathology through wedge-shaped excision of tissues. With this type of operation, healthy ovarian tissue remains less than with cystectomy.
- Ovariectomy - removal of the affected ovary. It is necessary in the case of polycystosis, when there are several cysts in one ovary, as well as if its functionality is impaired or if there is a risk of conversion to cancer, as well as with a large tumor size.
- Annexectomy - removal of the uterus. It is indicated for purulent inflammation of the cyst, endometrioid formations, which can cause internal bleeding. This operation is resorted to only in emergency cases.
If cancer is suspected after surgery, a biopsy of the cyst as well as a healthy ovary is necessary to compare the results. You can see the difference between a healthy and an affected organ in the photo.
Symptoms of ovarian cysts in women (and treatment of the pathology in the future) require a detailed study. Removal of the neoplasm by surgery is also indicated for dermoid, mucinous, endometrioid cysts. This takes into account the age of the patient. Girls of childbearing age are trying to keep healthy parts of the organ as whole as possible, while women during menopause are recommended to completely remove the appendages, since during this period there is a high risk of transformation of the cyst into a malignant tumor.
Treatment with folk remedies
Unfortunately, the cyst belongs to those pathologies that are extremely difficult to cure with the help of alternative medicine. However, unpleasant symptoms of ovarian cysts can be removed. Before starting treatment, it is necessary to consult with your doctor, since not all types of neoplasms can be treated with folk remedies.
If the gynecologist approved this treatment strategy, then the following recipes are suitable:
- Raisin tincture can accelerate the self-elimination of functional cysts. For its preparation, you will need 100 g of raisins and 0.5 l of medical alcohol, which need to pour dried fruits. The infusion is ready after 2 weeks. It is recommended to take 1 tbsp. l before eating.
- Freshly squeezed burdock juice must be taken for 4 weeks at 1 tbsp. l 3 times a day.
- Walnut partitions are crushed and poured with boiling water. All this must be insisted for 2 hours. After which the infusion is ready for use: 2 times a day, 0.5 cups.
- Medicinal herb goose cinquefoil, which can be bought at any pharmacy, is poured with hot water and infused for half an hour. After that, the resulting liquid must be taken 100 ml 3 times a day.
If there are negative consequences when using traditional medicine, then such treatment should be stopped immediately and consult your doctor about further therapy.
Torsion of cysts
With a large tumor, a leg may appear at its base, with which the cyst can twist down or to the other side. Against this background, blood vessels are squeezed, which significantly impairs the circulation of physiological fluid. In addition, if the cyst continues to grow in the twisted position, then there is a risk of overstrain, which leads to a rupture of the soft tissue formation.
Several factors can provoke a cyst torsion:
- weight lifting;
- sudden movements;
- too active sports;
- pregnancy onset;
- chronic constipation;
- weak muscles of the abdominal wall.
Often torsion of ovarian cysts requires surgical intervention to remove the formation.
Symptoms of tumor rupture
In some cases, the neoplasm may burst. This is possible with a critical size of the cyst or with a mechanical impact on it, for example, when it hits the stomach. What are the symptoms of a bursting ovarian cyst?
- a sharp increase in body temperature, which does not decrease even after taking antipyretic drugs;
- worsening of well-being;
- acute pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes pulsation is felt;
- pallor and soreness of the skin;
- cold sweat;
- feeling of heat;
- signs of intoxication - nausea, vomiting;
- spotting vaginal discharge of brown or bloody color;
- a sharp decrease in blood pressure.
All these signs should be the reason for an immediate emergency call, as rupture of the cyst requires surgical intervention to remove the remnants of the formation and stop internal bleeding, if any.
Malignant education in the ovary
Now you can find out the pathology by the symptoms. The consequences of ovarian cysts may include the process of turning it into a cancerous tumor. At the same time, it can increase in size, and its texture becomes denser, which is noticeable during palpation.
Such a pathology needs surgical removal. After this, a course of treatment should be taken in order to suppress the growth of cancer cells. Malignant prone women after 40 years, especially during menopause.
Cyst and pregnancy
When planning motherhood, a woman undergoes many examinations that are aimed at diagnosing hidden pathologies, among which there are also benign formations in the reproductive organs. What are the symptoms, treatment of ovarian cysts and the causes of its appearance during pregnancy? The causes of the manifestation of the pathology at the time of expectation of the baby are the same as outside of pregnancy. However, this condition is much more threatening the life of the mother and child. Therefore, it is important to identify the disease when planning for motherhood. However, what if the cyst occurred during pregnancy?
In most cases, surgical treatment of cysts is indicated only after childbirth. Exceptions are cases of twisting of the formation or its large size. However, pathology requires careful monitoring of the condition during pregnancy.
A cyst can also form directly during gestation. The fact is that the corpus luteum in the ovary during pregnancy begins to produce a large number of hormones necessary for a woman and is well supplied with blood. With damage to blood vessels, there may be hemorrhage in the corpus luteum tissue. Fortunately, this kind of pathology does not need treatment and does not have negative consequences for a pregnant woman and the fetus.
The question of how much the presence of a cyst on pregnancy and subsequent bearing of the fetus does not leave the head of the fairer sex. If it was removed through a surgical operation, the functionality of the ovary is significantly reduced, since along with the neoplasm, a part of the organ is also cut out. However, a woman can still have children. The most dangerous in this regard is an endometrioid cyst, since it is endometriosis (proliferation of endometrial cells) that causes infertility in 30% of cases.
During the operation to remove the neoplasm, you should carefully choose the surgeon who will cause minimal damage to the body. Conception problems can occur if most of the ovary has been removed during surgery. However, if the second ovary is healthy, then the woman is quite able to become pregnant and bear the child.
Forecast
The fate of the ovary depends on the type of neoplasm. Dermoid cysts are congenital, so after removal they can no longer form in the organ. What can not be said about the other types of tumors.
Functional cysts, even after treatment or removal, can occur while ovarian function is active. After the onset of menopause, the likelihood of a re-occurrence of endometrioid formations is high. Therefore, after the removal operation, therapy is prescribed that is aimed at reducing the risk of re-formation of cysts.
Ovarian function persists after surgery. However, they decrease depending on the degree of organ damage and the number of tissues excised around the formation of tissue. In most cases, even after complete removal of the ovary due to extensive lesions, there remains a chance of becoming pregnant if the functions of the second remain normal.
Prevention of the appearance of pathology
In order to avoid unpleasant symptoms of a cyst of the left ovary (or right), one should adhere to the following recommendations of specialists:
- As a prophylaxis, visit a gynecologist twice a year if nothing bothers. If there are unpleasant symptoms, then you should not postpone the trip to a specialist.
- It is important to avoid stressful situations that can lead to nervous strain.
- Monitor your diet: do not overeat or eat too strict diets without medical indications.
- Existing gynecological diseases must be treated immediately after their occurrence and diagnosis.
- It is not recommended to have a promiscuous sex life.
- It is important to plan pregnancy in advance, as in this way it is possible to identify and eradicate pathologies that can become an obstacle to motherhood in a timely manner.
These simple rules act to prevent not only symptoms of a cyst of the right ovary (or left), but also any gynecological problems.