Can ovarian cyst cause pain
There might be several reasons for which we ladies can be facing pain in our abdominal region or in the pelvic area. There can also be various reasons for which the pain accumulates around the ovaries and ovarian cysts are one of the most common medical issues related to the ovaries. But in most cases there is not much pain affecting the patients suffering from ovarian cysts. Usually the ovarian cyst accumulates as a sac of some fluid that gets collected from the surrounding region through the ovulation during the time of menstruation. Keep reading this article to know more about how does the pain feels like, while having an ovarian cyst and what to do to mitigate it.
Most of the ovarian cysts often go away on their own by not producing any symptoms. But some of them are able to create or produce severe abdominal pain when there is any rupture in the ovarian cyst or they create any twisted ovary that is also called as ovarian torsion. Definitely the twisted or ruptured ovary is in need of some immediate medical help.
How does the pain of ovarian cyst feel like ?
Research says that the pain of ovarian cyst varies from person to person and the severity of pain can only be similar in 7% of the population. Some of the patients suffering from ovarian cysts do not feel any pain at all even if they have one. 35.7 % of the women have reported to have some handful of peculiar or uncomfortable symptoms who have been suffering from ovarian cysts. On the other hand, it has been noticed that when there is a sudden onset of some severe symptoms and if there is already an underlying medical condition then it may force the cyst to rupture or the ovary might get twisted.
Ovarian cysts are definitely very common to form during the time of menstruation as they can be created through the release of the egg during the monthly cycle. So, even if there is any pain during the formation of an ovarian cyst at the time of maturation, most of the women cannot identify it separately as the pain of ovarian cyst. This is because they think that the pain is happening because of their menstruation cycle. But 83% of the cysts come with very few symptoms or no symptoms at all and then completely disappear within a few weeks or some months.
Always remember that as the ovary is a part of our reproductive system, the discomfort or the pain that would be occurring due to the ovarian cyst is generally going to be experienced in the lower abdomen region and near your pelvis area.
Time to visit the doctor
However, many medical conditions have similar symptoms and that is why visiting a doctor is very important as after watching the symptoms and carrying out some necessary tests for diagnosing the medical conditions, then only, a treatment plan can be created.
So, whenever you face any of these following symptoms or you experience a combination of a few of them, then make sure to visit a doctor as they can be a sign of ovarian cyst.
Suddenly gaining a lot of weight
- Facing more painful period than usual times
- Bloating
- Feeling totally fool after having a snack or a small meal
- Feeling discomfort or unusual pain while having sex
- Feeling a constant pain in your right or left abdominal region
- Experiencing a sudden vaginal bleeding which is not your periods
- Experiencing a dull ache in the lower back region
- The breast would be feeling tender, heavy or painful
- You would be forced to go frequently to the bathroom for urinating or having a bowel movement.
83.5 % of the women undergoing the treatment of ovarian cyst have experienced either one of them or a combination of these above given symptoms at some point of their life.
Need for immediate medical assistance
If you face any of these following symptoms then you have to seek for immediate medical assistance especially when you are living in your postmenopausal years:
- Feeling sudden weakness
- Dizziness and nausea
- Fever accompanied with vomiting or fast breathing
- Having a clammy skin
- Facing a sudden or sharp abdominal pain
These symptoms apart from being signs of ovarian cyst can also be due to a twisted ovary, a ruptured cyst or even you might be experiencing some other serious health condition that too requires immediate medical treatment. Remember that the twisted ovary can be dangerous because they can cut off the blood flow till the ovary and that is why it may result in losing the overall or parts of the ovary. Sometimes ruptured cyst can also lead to internal bleeding.
Some home treatments for managing the pain of ovarian cyst
As mostly the ovarian cysts are non malignant so the doctors try to wait for a few months for monitoring the growth in order to ensure that it disappears on its own or not. We always suggest that you visit a doctor if you are suffering from any of the above mentioned physical symptoms or if you have been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. But the following ways will be helping you to stay or feel better during the time of your treatment or post treatment.
1. A heating pad or hot water bottle after wrapping it in a towel can really be helpful while applied to the lower back or to the stomach for 15 to 20 minutes. Heat helps in increasing the blood flow which in turn reduces the pain. Heat can be repeated several times in a day but the heat should not be so high that it may burn the skin and also never sleep by applying a heating pad.
2. As the pain of the ovarian cyst includes the surrounding muscles so the pain tense up. That is why you can become more uncomfortable during your periods. So massaging the thighs, lower back, stomach and buttocks helps in losing the tense muscles and thus reduces the pain to some extent.
3. Stretching and doing some light exercises also helps in lowering down the pain of ovarian cysts. The muscle tension also gets reduced if stretching and exercises are being carried out regularly. Even some of the intense exercises like running and jumping jacks have helped 23.5% of women while 62.1 % of the women have benefited after doing yoga and stretching.
4. Even eating a healthy diet and managing weight according to height and age will help in regulating the hormones that prevent the further development of cysts.
Don’t forget to go through our other articles regarding ovarian cyst to learn more about it. We always suggest seeking immediate medical help whenever needed and it’s always better for everyone, mainly the woman suffering from PCOS, to carry out regular exercises and to follow a healthy diet. As it will also help you in keeping your weight on the control which would be ultimately beneficial for you. Lastly, try to keep a record of your pelvic or abdominal pain like its severity, the time period and for how many days it stays as it would be easier in identifying ovarian cysts with these records. Also the earlier you start the treatment the better result you get.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/what-does-ovarian-cyst-pain-feel-like
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321685
https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2020/06/pelvic-pain-ovarian-cysts