Ovarian cysts are sacs filled with fluid or pockets on the surface of an ovary or inside it. Women have generally two ovaries and each has the size and shape of almond on each side of the uterus. Eggs are developed and matured in the ovaries and discharged in monthly cycles.
Most women have ovarian cysts at a specific time. Ovarian cysts cause little or no uneasiness and are not harmful. The majority of the ovarian cysts are disappeared without being treated within a few months.
Moreover, ovarian cysts- specifically those which have busted have major symptoms. Thus, it's necessary to get a regular pelvic test and get to know about the symptoms to protect your health.
Around 7% of women have an ovarian cyst at some point in their life.
Ovarian cysts are the most widespread fetal and newborn tumor, with an occurrence exceeding 30%. The occurrence of ovarian carcinoma is about 15 cases per 100,000 women per year. In the United States, ovarian carcinomas are diagnosed in more than 21,000 women yearly, causing predictable 14,600 deaths.
About 1 in 4 women of India undergo ovarian cysts.
Main Causes of ovarian cysts
Most ovarian cysts generate as an outcome of your menstrual cycle (functional cysts). Other types of cysts are much less widespread.
Functional cysts
Your ovaries usually grow cyst-like structures known as follicles each month. Follicles create the hormones estrogen and progesterone and discharge an egg when you ovulate.
If a usual monthly follicle keeps growing, it's called a functional cyst.
There are two kinds of functional cysts:
- Follicular cyst. Around the middle of your menstrual cycle, an egg bursts out of its follicle and goes down the fallopian tube. A follicular cyst starts when the follicle doesn't rupture or release its egg but persists to grow.
- Corpus luteum cyst. When a follicle discharges its egg, it starts developing estrogen and progesterone for conception. This follicle is now known as the corpus luteum. Occasionally, fluid gathers inside the follicle which causes the corpus luteum to produce a cyst.
- Functional cysts are typically harmless, hardly ever cause pain, and frequently depart on their own within two or three menstrual cycles.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome: The condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is distinguished by the presence of numerous small cysts within both ovaries. PCOS is interrelated with several hormonal problems and is the most common reason for infertility in women.
- Tubo-ovarian abscesses: Infections of the pelvic organs can include the ovaries and Fallopian tubes. In some cases, pus-filled cystic spaces may be there on, in, or around the ovary or tubes. These are called tubo-ovarian abscesses
Kinds of cysts not associated with the usual function of your menstrual cycle comprise:
- Chocolate cysts:
Endometriosis is a situation in which cells that usually grow inside as a lining of the uterus(womb), grow outside of the uterus in different locations. An ovary is commonplace for endometriosis.
- When endometriosis includes the ovary, the region of endometrial tissue may grow and bleed over time and forms a blood-filled cyst with red- or brown-colored contents known as endometrioma occasionally referred to as a chocolate cyst.
- Dermoid cysts (benign cystic teratomas): Both benign and malignant tumors of the ovary might be cystic. Rarely, the tissues of the ovary build up abnormally to form other body tissues like hair or teeth. Cysts with these abnormal tissues are tumors known as benign cystic teratomas or dermoid cysts.
- Cystadenomas. These grow on the surface of an ovary and might be filled with a watery or a mucous substance.
Symptoms of an ovarian cyst
An ovarian cyst generally has symptoms if it is very large, stops the blood supply to the ovaries, or if ruptures.
In such cases, you may have:
- pelvic pain – this can vary from a dull, profound sensation to an abrupt, severe and sharp pain
- pain at the time of sex
- complexity emptying your bowels
- a recurrent need to urinate
- heavy periods, uneven periods, or lighter periods than normal
- bloating and an inflated tummy
- feeling very filled after only eating a little
- trouble getting pregnant –though fertility is generally unaffected by ovarian cysts
Can ovarian cysts cause cancer?
· Many ovarian cysts are not due to cancer, and having an ovarian cyst does not cause ovarian cancer. Nonetheless, some ovarian cancers build up cystic areas inside the tumor. Ovarian cancer is much less widespread than benign ovarian cysts.
How to shrink ovarian cysts naturally?
Home treatment cannot make the cyst go away. Here, the purpose is to treat any symptoms and control pain. For instance, most women with ovarian cysts go through major pain during their periods. Thus, treating ovarian cysts naturally concentrates on controlling period pain.
Over-the-counter medication
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, can reduce the pain caused by ovarian cysts, as well as period cramps.
Women who get no help from NSAIDs should inform their doctor, since extreme pain may lead to severe difficulty.
In several cases, a doctor may recommend various pain medication, like co-codamol, which includes codeine.
Stretching and exercise
- Exercise and stretching can also aid ease pain associated with ovarian cysts. It can also aid with muscle tension.
- Through intense exercises like running and gentle stretching and yoga, some women have got much relief.
- Even without weight loss, exercise may shrink pain by strengthening the muscles. It may avoid the growth of further cysts and help battle insulin resistance.
Relaxation techniques
Stress and anxiety can make pain worst. Relaxation techniques, like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing, may aid relieve anxiety and reduce the amount of pain. These techniques can also aid a person handle the pain for the long term and enhance general health.
Weight loss
If a woman is overweight, losing weight may aid her body in better controlling hormones, prevent the growth of more cysts, and enhance symptoms of pain and fatigue. It is hard to lose weight with PCOS, so try not to become discouraged, as it may take time.
Dietary changes
- A low-carb diet may aid reduce the symptoms of ovarian cysts.
- Many women with PCOS are insulin resistant. This can direct to diabetes, make pregnancy more hard, and may increase weight.
- A wide range of dietary changes may help, but as research does not point to a precise diet for PCOS, a woman may require to use trial and error to search for what works best for her.
- As women with PCOS may have insulin resistance, it might be useful to reduce sugar consumption. Sugar is in a large variety of foods, containing carbohydrates like bread and pasta.
Apple cider vinegar
This is another suggested natural remedy. There are no studies showing apple cider vinegar eradicates cysts or reduces them.
Apple cider vinegar has shown the properties of antimicrobial. More particularly, the acetic acids in it are antimicrobial, as per vitro study.
Ovarian cysts are to be taken care of accurately. If you are not able to treat using the above home symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.