Ovarian Cyst during Menopause
Ovarian Cyst during Menopause
Women developing ovarian cysts are very common. Only in a few cases though, do women develop ovarian cysts during menopause. Usually, women develop these cysts in their younger, fertile years. But these cysts can develop at any age in a woman’s life. Ovarian cysts during menopause can be very bothersome indeed.
Before getting into the information about these cysts it would be helpful to first give details on what an ovarian cyst is. These cysts develop either inside the ovary itself or on the outside walls of the ovary. This small sac fills with fluid which may be watery, or filled with a thick mucus. The cyst may be singular or multiple cysts and they can be small in size or can grow to be many inches in diameter. In a few cases these cysts have grown to many pounds in size.
Although these common cysts are usually benign, in a few rare cases they do become malignant. Because the smaller cysts present little if any symptoms, most aren’t ever even noticed for years if at all. The ovarian cysts during menopause, or in younger years, which do cause problems project symptoms which differ with each case. Since many of these symptoms are the same as with other health disorders, they are very often diagnosed incorrectly. The pain of ovarian cysts during menopause is often described as the same pain incurred, for example, with appendicitis.
The symptoms of ovarian cysts are many and varied. The list of symptoms is very long though, irregular menstrual cycles, painful cramps, abdominal pressure, pelvic and thigh pain and pressure on the bladder plus more symptoms. If the cyst ruptures, it can cause sudden, sever pain. Not all menopausal women will develop ovarian cysts. 70% of these turn out to be benign. However the risk for cancer in post-menopausal women is much higher than for younger women. When a woman develops a cyst during menopause, it is abnormal as compared to a functional cyst.
When a menopausal woman develops an ovarian cyst, it should be reported to a doctor immediately. A painless sonogram is used to do this examination. This will give information on the size and location of the cyst and whether or not it is malignant.
There is also a blood test which will be done called the CA125 test. This will show the level of the CA125 protein is present in the blood. If these levels are high, then it means that the possibility of the cyst being malignant is higher. However an elevated amount of CA125 does not always mean that the cyst is malignant, it just means that the risk is higher. Sometimes these cysts dissolve on their own without any treatment.
As these cysts can become very painful with growth, removal of the cyst is usually recommended. If you do suspect that you have an ovarian cyst during menopause, check with your doctor. He will advise you on the best course of action to take.
