Cysts on Ovaries
Cysts on Ovaries
Many women worry the first time that they develop cysts on their ovaries but in reality, this is quite normal. Ovarian cysts are very small sacs that are filled with hormonal fluid. These usually develop on the surface of the ovary or inside the ovary itself. Most of the time, these cysts are benign but sometimes they can become malignant. Cysts on ovaries usually dissolve naturally.
Functional Cysts
These cysts usually form during a woman’s menstrual cycle. The two different types of cysts are follicle and corpus luteum cysts.
If there is too much fluid surrounding the egg during development, it becomes a follicle cyst on the ovary. The follicle doesn’t open as it should to release the egg. Instead the follicle continues to grow. The usual follicle cyst is very small and in a couple of months it will dissolve and the fluid will empty into the blood stream harmlessly. It is rare, but sometimes the cyst on the ovary will grow to be 3 to 4 inches. Even these large cysts dissolve by themselves most of the time.
When the follicle closes up after releasing the egg instead of dissolving, a corpus luteum cyst develops. This fluid increases and the cyst grows. This type of cyst can reach up to 4 inches in size and is very painful. The corpus luteum cyst can cause pain in the abdomen and pelvis area. Sometimes the cyst will cause the ovary to twist. This type of cyst can also rupture and bleed causing very intense pain.
The Abnormal Cyst
Abnormal cystic growth occurs when there is abnormal cell growth. Although a bit scary, these too are normal benign cysts and are very seldom detected. There are different types of abnormal cysts: dermoid cysts (also known as teratoma), cyst adenoma cysts and endometrial cysts (sometimes called chocolate cysts).
Dermatoid cysts are actually a type of ovarian tumor. These contain many different types of cells. Bone tissue, dental material such as completely formed teeth, and many other bizarre contents are found in this type of cyst on the ovaries. As is the case with most ovarian cysts, these are benign. Only 1 to 2 percent are found to be malignant.
These types of cyst are usually quite small. However, some do grow up to 17 inches and can cause a lot of pain if they start to twist or rupture. To prevent that from happening, these are usually surgically removed.
Cyst Adenoma Cysts
Sometimes these types of cysts can grow dangerously large and weigh many pounds. Cyst adenoma cysts can come in two different types: mucinous cyst adenomas and serous cyst adenomas. Mucinous contains a mucous type sticky substance. The serous cyst adenomas contain watery fluids. These are normally found on the outside of the ovary and can sometimes be malignant.
Endometrial cysts are sometimes called chocolate cysts due to the dark brown fluid that they contain. These cysts, as their name denotes, sometimes occur during endometriosis. They usually cause painful intercourse and painful menstrual periods. Because of the size they can grow to they can also rupture.
Most cysts on the ovaries go unnoticed until a gynological exam.
