Overview of Ovarian Cysts

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled cysts located inside or on the surface of the uterus or ovaries. The human body has two ovaries, each of which is similar in size and shape to an almond, located on either side of the uterus. Their main function is to produce and secrete eggs and estrogen. Many women develop ovarian cysts at some point in their lives. The vast majority of ovarian cysts do not cause discomfort or only cause mild discomfort and are generally harmless to the body. Ovarian cysts generally do not require treatment and will resolve on their own within a few months.

However, some ovarian cysts, especially those that rupture, can sometimes cause serious symptoms. Some of these symptoms may indicate more serious problems, so in order to protect your health as much as possible, you should be aware of the symptoms and have regular pelvic examinations.

Ovarian cyst disease

Because many patients with ovarian cysts do not have any symptoms, you cannot simply judge whether there is ovarian cyst based on whether there are symptoms. Even if you are given symptoms, they are likely to be similar to the symptoms of other diseases, such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy or ovarian cancer. Sometimes, appendicitis or diverticulitis can cause symptoms similar to those caused by a ruptured ovarian cyst.

If you have an ovarian cyst, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Apple menstrual disorders.

Apple-shaped pelvic pain: This type of pain can be constant or intermittent and may radiate to the back or groin.

Apple Pelvic pain occurs at the beginning or just before the end of the menstrual period.

Apple Pelvic pain during sexual intercourse (ie pain during intercourse).

Apple causes pain when defecating or exerting force on the stomach and intestines.

Apple may cause nausea, vomiting, or breast tenderness, which are similar to some of the reactions during pregnancy.

Apple Abdominal swelling or pressure.

Apple may put pressure on the duodenum or bladder, making it difficult to completely empty the bladder.

Causes of ovarian cysts

Under normal circumstances, your uterus and ovaries produce sac-like tissues called follicles every month. It produces estrogen and oestrogen and releases the egg.

Sometimes, some of these follicles will grow again. When these occur, they are called multifunctional cysts because they are initially functional. There are two types of multifunctional cysts:

Apple follicular cyst: Around the middle of your menstrual cycle, your pituitary gland secretes a lot of a hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH), which signals the follicle to ovulate. If everything goes well, the follicle will rupture after receiving the ovulation signal and release the egg. When the egg cell enters the fallopian tubes and meets the male sperm, fertilization occurs. If LH hormone cannot be secreted normally, the follicle will develop into a follicular cyst, that is, the follicle will neither rupture nor expel an egg, but will continue to grow and become a cyst (see the sphere in the figure below, which is shown as an ovary). Follicular cysts are generally harmless, only rarely cause pain, and usually disappear on their own within 2 to 3 menstrual cycles.

Corpus luteum cyst: Under normal circumstances, when the body's LH hormone rises, the follicle will rupture and discharge the egg cell. At the same time, it also begins to produce a large amount of estrogen and estradiol to prepare for pregnancy. The follicle at this time is called corpus luteum. But sometimes, the entrance of the follicle for the egg cell to be discharged is blocked, causing fluid to accumulate in the follicle, which causes the corpus luteum to expand and become a cyst (see the exit in the figure below, and the release shows the uterus and ovaries). Although these cysts usually resolve on their own within a few weeks, they can sometimes grow to as much as 10 centimeters in diameter and may cause internal bleeding or ovarian torsion, resulting in blood supply obstruction and pelvic or abdominal pain. Additionally, if a cyst fills with blood, it may rupture, causing broken capillaries and sudden, sharp pain. Clomiphene citrate, a fertility drug used to promote ovulation, increases the risk of corpus luteum cysts after ovulation. Fortunately, corpus luteum cysts do not affect or threaten an existing pregnancy.