Many women have ovarian cysts at some point in their lives, a very common gynecological condition that is usually not very serious, are small fluid-filled bags that grow in one or both ovaries, most of the time, are benign and disappear on their own. At other times, some kind of intervention is needed.
We are sure that many of our readers know what we are talking about, they may have experienced it. It may also be that a close person has experienced it, such as a friend, sister, mother, or other parent. In all cases, population studies tell us that between 25% and 30% of women will develop an ovarian cyst at some point in life. your life cycle This risk occurs from the onset of menstruation to the onset of menopause.
- All this certainly encourages us to emphasize the importance of gynecological scans.
- It should be noted that many of these pathologies are generally asymptomatic and.
- If at any time present any manifestation.
- It is common to associate it with other disorders: menstrual pain.
- Back pain.
- Bloating.
- Stress?.
We’ll see more details below
As we indicated at the beginning, on average, ovarian cysts are a moderate medical condition, however, when a woman is diagnosed, it is common (and understandable) that she suffers anxiety and bewilderment, the first thing she must do is trust the doctors and treatment they prescribe. These small bags of liquid often respond to what is called a simple functional cyst.
What does that mean? Basically they are different from tumor cysts and occur in response to certain hormonal conditions, it is something treatable, something that can disappear on its own and that certainly has good prognosis, let’s see below what types of ovarian cysts exist.
Follicular cyst is the most common, appears mainly in young women and usually disappears in a few weeks, to understand why it develops it is necessary to remember how the menstrual cycle develops, hormones stimulate the growth of an ovarian follicle, which contains the egg. As the days go by, this follicle will eventually break to release the egg.
In the middle of this process called ovulation, the following events may occur: the follicle may not rupture, so if the follicle does not open to release an egg, this fluid builds up day after day until the cyst forms.
It should also be noted that there are other types of ovarian cysts, such as endometrioma (associated with endometriosis), as well as dermoid cyst (germ cell neoplasms containing pieces of bone, hair, skin, fat?) that requires surgery.
Remember again that ovarian cysts can occur during the first period in very young girls, even in women who have already gone through menopause. The ovaries are subject to constant hormonal changes. So, and even if a woman no longer has her period, there are still spontaneous changes in the body that require proper control.
Therefore, regardless of our age, it is necessary to make regular appointments with our gynecologists and warn us of any symptoms:
On the other hand, it should be remembered once again that ovarian cysts are usually asymptomatic, if ovarian torsion or other gynecological emergency develops, the patient will experience sudden and severe pain that will require urgent medical attention.
It is also important to talk about polycystic ovary syndrome, this disease corresponds to a hormonal disorder in which several simultaneous ovarian cysts develop, does it affect 7% of women and cause irregular menstruation, excess hair, difficulty getting pregnant?
The causes of this condition are unknown, but there are appropriate treatments that can improve patients’ quality of life.
When they discover one or more ovarian cysts on ultrasound, experts will evaluate several things. The first is the size of the cyst. The second, the age of the woman, usually those less than 5 centimeters will only need a follow-up to observe its evolution, if instead of disappearing the cyst continues to grow, it should be removed by surgery.
It is important to note that, on average, only 1% of ovarian cysts are cancerous, and it is also important to say that older women who have already reached menopause tend to develop more resistant cysts, i. e. they usually do. not disappear on its own. For example, doctors are evaluating other options, such as surgery.
In conclusion, one way to prevent ovarian cysts is the administration of oral contraceptives, however, if we have a family history of this type of gynecological condition, we should not hesitate to consult the doctor to establish an adequate follow-up, prevention is very important.