Ovarian cyst: symptoms

An ovarian cyst, the symptoms of which may be latent and often nonspecific, is a fairly common disease among women of reproductive age.

An ovarian cyst is a cavity, a neoplasm, usually small in size, filled with contents of varying consistency and structure. Depending on the type of cyst contents, the structure of the walls of its cavity, neoplasms are divided into categories - functional and pathological, abnormal, that is, those that can develop into malignant. Functional neoplasms tend to involution, that is, to dissolve. They develop during the ovulation period, which has deviations due to hormonal disruptions. Such cystic formations almost never manifest themselves with painful symptoms, with the exception of complications - ruptures or torsion of the stalk of a large, overfilled cyst.

Any organic or abnormal ovarian cyst has more pronounced symptoms, since it is not capable of self-resolving and is often accompanied by concomitant gynecological diseases - adnexitis, endometriosis, salpingitis.

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Ovarian cyst, symptoms and manifestations

Neoplasms are constantly developing, there are no cysts that freeze in their development - they either increase or involution, disappear. Some cysts grow very slowly, often for years without showing any signs, others develop rapidly, especially if their contents fester. Ovarian cyst symptoms have primary and secondary.

The initial manifestations are practically not felt, menstruation is not disrupted, and there are no painful sensations. Most often, such cysts are detected during routine gynecological examinations. As a rule, in the initial stage, an ovarian cyst does not show symptoms, since the fluid in its cavity accumulates gradually, very slowly. Often, when taking hormonal contraceptives, the cystic formation is absorbed without a trace so that the woman does not even suspect that she had such a problem. The only indirect sign of cyst formation may be pain in the lower abdomen in the middle period of menstruation, which is not perceived by the woman as something pathological.

Secondary symptoms appear in cases where the cystic formation is large, it develops and begins to squeeze neighboring organs. In addition, ovarian cyst symptoms can be quite painful in situations where the stalk of the neoplasm twists and blocks the blood supply to the veins. If the stalk twists through the intestinal loop, symptoms characteristic of intestinal obstruction occur - acute pain, bloating, increased body temperature. This condition requires emergency medical care, otherwise everything can end in hemorrhage into the peritoneum and peritonitis. Secondary signs are also symptoms of internal bleeding due to rupture of the neoplasm - severe, sharp pain, pale skin, increased heart rate, drop in pressure, fever, vomiting.

An ovarian cyst may show symptoms many years later, when its development leads to persistent hormonal disorders. In such cases, there is a constant change in the menstrual cycle, periods can be both scanty and heavy. The process itself is very painful, accompanied by general malaise, hyperthermia, weakness and dizziness.

A large, more than 7-8 centimeters, ovarian cyst has visually obvious symptoms - the abdomen becomes noticeably large, swollen due to the accumulation of cavity cystic fluid. Among the manifestations and signs of neoplasms that can be alarming signals and which are worth paying attention to, we note the following:

• Painful sensations during sexual intercourse.
• Pain in the lower abdomen after intense physical activity.
• Frequent urination.
• Weight gain due to hormonal imbalances.
• Frequent feeling of nausea.
• Subfebrile body temperature.
• Tension in the abdominal muscles.
• Periodic tachycardia without objective cardiological causes.
• Irregularities in the menstrual cycle.
• Scanty or, on the contrary, heavy discharge during menstruation.
• Pain in the lower abdomen during bowel movements.
• Bloody discharge during ovulation.

Any symptoms characteristic of the "acute abdomen" picture, such as nausea, sharp cramping pain, a drop in blood pressure, fainting and fever, require immediate medical attention. All other manifestations similar to the symptoms of cysts should be clarified by a gynecologist with the help of a detailed full examination, including ultrasound, colposcopy, a comprehensive blood test, and possibly laparoscopic diagnostics.

An ovarian cyst often does not show symptoms, which is why regular visits to the treating gynecologist and scheduled diagnostic examinations are so important. Treatment of a cyst is not always conservative, and in order to avoid surgery, it is necessary to take care of the prevention of your own female health and plan annual gynecological examinations.