How to treat ovarian cysts?

Ovarian cyst is one of the common tumors. It can occur in people of all ages, but it is most common in women aged 20-50. In fact, ovarian cyst is a common gynecological disease in women. It is difficult to diagnose ovarian cyst in the early stage, and the degree of malignant transformation is high, so it should be treated in time. So what are the symptoms of ovarian cysts? Below I will tell you about some symptoms and prevention of this disease.

This “tumor” is not that tumor

Many people think that ovarian cysts are tumors growing on the ovaries. In fact, ovarian cysts are classified into many types and forms, such as single or mixed type, unilateral or bilateral, cystic or solid, benign or malignant.

According to Associate Chief Physician Ren Xianqin, among the patients who come to see the doctor, the vast majority of ovarian cysts are inflammatory masses, most of which are cystic, while solid tumors are not common, and even if they do occur, they are mostly benign.

Similar to common female diseases such as cervical erosion and breast hyperplasia, ovarian cysts do not cause any particularly obvious discomfort in the early stages of the disease. Many patients are told of cysts from B-ultrasound examinations when they are treating other gynecological diseases, and 70% of them are in the late stages.

What are the initial symptoms?

"In fact, ovarian cysts are not difficult to treat. The difficult part is that there are no obvious symptoms in the early stages, and 70% of them are already in the late stages when seeking medical treatment." Deputy Chief Physician Ren Xianqin said that ovarian cysts have relatively typical symptoms, mainly in the following aspects.

1. Discomfort in the lower abdomen: This is the initial symptom of ovarian cyst and is also the most easily ignored. Due to the weight of the tumor itself, as well as the influence of intestinal peristalsis and changes in body position, the cyst moves in the pelvic cavity, involving its pedicle and pelvic infundibulum ligament, causing the patient to have a feeling of distension and falling in the lower abdomen, which can easily be mistaken for some common gynecological inflammation or gastroenteritis.

2. Increased abdominal circumference: Due to the presence of tumors in the abdomen, some women feel that their waists have become thicker and they can no longer wear clothes, or they suddenly feel a foreign object when touching their abdomen.

3. Abdominal pain: Under normal circumstances, there will be no pain if the tumor has no complications or ruptures. The abdominal pain felt by the patient is mostly due to twisting of the cyst pedicle, or due to cyst rupture, bleeding, or infection.

4. Compression symptoms: Huge ovarian cysts can cause dyspnea and palpitations due to compression of the diaphragm. Ovarian cysts combined with a large amount of ascites can also cause such symptoms. It can also affect the venous return of the lower limbs and cause edema of the abdominal wall and bilateral lower limbs. In addition, pressure on the pelvic and abdominal organs can also cause symptoms such as difficulty urinating, urinary retention, urgency or difficulty in defecation.

Ovarian cysts causing infertility

Early stage ovarian cysts may cause lower abdominal discomfort, lower abdominal pain, increased vaginal discharge, leucorrhea odor, yellow leucorrhea, and menstrual irregularities. When cysts interfere with hormone production, symptoms such as irregular vaginal bleeding or increased hair growth may occur. When the disease develops to the middle and late stages, patients will experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, abdominal pain and bloating, frequent urination and painful urination. If not treated in time, it will eventually lead to malignant transformation.

Treatment varies from person to person

"Surgery is the only way to treat ovarian cysts, but not all patients need surgery. First, it is necessary to diagnose whether the cyst is benign or malignant. If it is confirmed to be benign and the cyst is very small, with a diameter of less than 5 cm, it can be observed first without treatment."

Deputy Chief Physician Ren Xianqin said that if the cyst is determined to be malignant, surgical treatment should be performed as soon as possible, and it should also be combined with radiotherapy and anti-cancer drug treatment. However, it should be noted that sometimes cysts may have benign characteristics and malignant growth. The tumor may grow very large and compress the surrounding tissues, and at the same time be accompanied by progressively worsening dysmenorrhea and pain during sexual intercourse, and tender nodules in the pelvis. At this time, surgical removal is also required.

Ren Xianqin said that if the diameter of the cyst is less than 5 cm and there is no evidence to suggest a tumor, it is mostly a functional cyst. You can actively cooperate with the doctor's examination, check once every 2-3 months, and then adjust the examination interval according to the situation.

The editor reminds everyone that you should pay more attention to changes in your body and seek timely treatment when a malignant ovarian cyst is discovered. That is to say, the patient will feel varying degrees of discomfort, and may sometimes have a fever and lose weight quickly; the tumor grows quickly, the course of the disease is short, and there may be nodules on the surface of the tumor, often accompanied by ascites. If malignant symptoms occur, go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible.