Follicular Ovarian Cysts
Follicular Ovarian Cysts
What are follicular ovarian cysts? The heart and soul of a woman’s reproductive organs are the ovaries. These are two tear shaped organs on either side of the woman’s uterus. Males produce sperm most of their reproductive lives, women have all the eggs they will ever produce in their ovaries from birth. Normally, the ovaries are the egg repository until they are released to be fertilized. But sometimes things don’t work out properly and follicular ovarian cysts form.
These follicular cysts are nothing to be alarmed about as they are normal. The ovarian follicle is the sac which contains a fluid which surrounds the egg when is about to be released. When things go wrong though, the follicle will enlarge and the egg isn’t released properly and forms a cyst. These can be so small that they can only be seen with a microscope. The worst case scenario is when they become so large that they push other organs out of the way.
Almost always benign, the follicular cysts usually dissolve by themselves and are not a problem. They are usually found in women of child bearing age and are considered “functional”. This just means that they are part of a woman’s normal menstrual cycle and not caused by disease. These follicular ovarian cysts are usually not even noticed. Unless they grow large enough to be a problem or rupture and cause an infection, most women don’t even know that they have a follicular ovarian cyst.
Normally, no symptoms accompany these type of cysts. Some women that do have these only complain of a dull ache in the lower abdomen, painful intercourse, or during bowel movements. These can also cause light abnormal bleeding at times or irregular periods. Abdominal swelling has also been reported.
Functional cysts usually don’t require treatment although sometimes contraceptive pills are sometimes recommended to regulate the menstrual cycle. This will also reduce the risk of future ovarian cysts. There are occasions when these cysts grow very large and laparoscopic surgery is required for removal.
Cysts that form after menopause are called “non-functional” since there is no menstrual period involved. Menopausal women no longer have follicles or produce eggs so these are not follicular cysts. Ovarian cysts should never form after menopause. The cysts that do form after menopause require watching very closely.
A nonfunctional cyst is the most painful and dangerous. They can cause severe abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements and urination, back pain and swelling. Never ignore these symptoms. Hormone treatments are usually prescribed to dissolve these cysts. The main concern with this type of cyst is malignancy. If there is a malignancy present then the hormone treatments will not work. Remember, report any of the above symptoms to your doctor immediately and do not ignore them thinking that they will go away. Many doctors will want to surgically remove any cysts that form after menopause. Unlike the follicular ovarian cyst, it is urgent that these nonfunctional cysts be caught in the early stages and treated immediately.
