Ovarian cysts are small fluid-filled sacs that develop in a woman’s ovaries. Most cysts are harmless, but some may cause problems such as rupturing, bleeding, or pain; and surgery may be required to remove the cyst. It is important to understand how these cysts may form.

Functional ovarian cysts are the most common type of ovarian cyst. They usually disappear by themselves and seldom require treatment. Growths that become abnormally large or last longer than a few months should be removed or examined to determine if they are in fact something more harmful.

Women normally have two ovaries that store and release eggs. Each ovaryis about the size of a walnut, and one ovary is located on each side of the uterus. One ovary produces one egg each month, and this process starts a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.

The egg is enclosed in a sac called a follicle. An egg grows inside the ovary until estrogen  hormone signals the uterus to prepare itself for the egg. In turn, the uterus begins to thicken itself and prepare for pregnancy.

This cycle occurs each month and usually ends when the egg is not fertilized. This is called a menstrual period. Oral contraceptive or birth control pill use decreases the risk of developing ovarian cysts because they prevent the ovaries from producing eggs during ovulation.

The following are possible risk factors for developing ovarian cysts; history of previous ovarian cysts,  irregular menstrual cycles, increased upper body fat distribution, early menstruation, infertility, hypothyroidism or hormonal imbalance and tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer.

Symptoms

Usually ovarian cysts do not produce symptoms and are found during a routine physical exam or are seen by chance on an ultrasound performed for other reasons.

However, the following symptoms may be present: Lower abdominal or pelvic pain, which may start and stop and may be severe, sudden, and sharp.

Irregular menstrual periods,feeling of lower abdominal pressureor pelvic  fullness, long term pelvic pain during menstrual period that may also be felt in the lower back and Pelvic pain after strenuous exercise or sexual intercourse,  Pain or pressure with urination and bowel movements.

In most cases the cyst becomes dangerous when it ruptures; The danger of rupture exists especially when identification during the early period of an ovarian cyst is not made. Intense pain is the result of an ovarian cyst that ruptures and this can lead to grave medical complications.

Both infection and hemorrhage can be the result of a ruptured ovarian cyst. If the cyst does not heal alone, a doctor may recommend its removal surgically.

The doctor would take a sample of the ovarian cyst in order to examine it for potential malignancy. But ovarian cysts can be responsible for grave and complex difficulties that might not arise if the patient was examined quickly enough after even the slightest warning of an ovarian cyst.

If one is worried that he or she might have an ovarian cyst, then should consult a specialized doctor for confirmation of the symptoms as rapidly as possible in order to avoid any medical deterioration.

The most common indications of the ovarian cyst rupture is Severe pain can be caused by a cyst that ruptures, but this can also lead to grave medical complications. A cyst that has broken open will show symptoms very similar to that of a normal ovarian cyst.

In both cases, severe pain is the common element. Because ovarian cysts often arise without symptoms for many women and may even go away by themselves without medical intervention, the downside is that grave complications may also come about.

These could include the cyst rupturing or organs being subjected to pressure or torsion. However women with ruptured ovarian cysts often experience symptoms such as pain not only during menstruation, but in particular just before or after.

This pain is described by sufferers as sharp and piercing especially in the lower part of the abdomen when such a cyst breaks open. The other consequence of an ovarian cyst rupturing is the abdomen becoming distended or sensitive.

Diagnosis

For sufferers in a critical condition arriving at the emergency department, the stabilization of their condition is first done by the medical team while diagnosis of the ovarian cyst rupture is accomplished.

An emergency gynecologist or physician can use a variety of diagnostic tests to find out about the ovarian cysts rupture. The doctor will do a test on the patient blood to find out from a number of variables about the condition.

The hematocrit level will also be checked to see how many red blood cells one may have. A hematocrit level that is lessened may suggest that significant internal bleeding has caused anemia.

A urine test is also done to see if any pus or blood has been generated from the ovaries that might be due to a ruptured ovarian cyst causing infection.Also important is a pregnancy test.

The explanation for this is that indications of pregnancy in the fallopian tubes are also very frequent when ovarian cysts rupture: this is known as ectopic pregnancy.

Treatment
 
women should be educated about the ovarian cysts that might rupture in either a malignant or asymptomatic fashion. Because ovarian cysts are common, a number of online resources exist with relevant information about ovarian cysts and their treatment.

Nevertheless, as several techniques exist to treat ovarian cysts, you should understand that some might be very expensive and others might only provide relief from a symptom rather than treatment of the problem. Immediate surgical removal remains an important treatment procedure.

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The writer is amedical practitioner.