What are ovarian cysts?
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop on your ovaries. They’re very common and often don’t cause pain or discomfort.
The types of ovarian cysts include:
Follicular cyst
A follicular cyst may develop if the follicle carrying your egg doesn’t release the egg and instead continues to grow and form a cyst.
Corpus luteum cyst
Corpus luteum is the name of your follicle after it’s released the egg. Fluid can gather in the eggless follicle, causing the development of a corpus luteum cyst.
Dermoid
A dermoid cyst is a tissue filled cyst formed from embryonic tissue. These types of cysts may contain hair or nails.
Cystadenomas
Cystadenomas are cysts that develop on your ovaries and aren’t related to your menstrual cycle.
Endometriomas
If you have endometriosis, a condition in which your endometrial tissue grows outside your uterus, the tissue may lead to the development of cysts on your ovaries, referred to as endometriomas.
Do ovarian cysts cause symptoms?
Ovarian cysts don’t always cause symptoms. In fact, you may not even know you have an ovarian cyst unless it’s detected during your well-woman exam. However, if your cyst is large, you may experience various symptoms, such as:
- Pelvic pain
- Bloating
- Ache or sharp pain on one side of your abdomen
Ovarian cysts can burst and cause extreme pain. You should get immediate medical attention if you’ve developed sudden, severe abdominal pain with a fever and vomiting.
How are ovarian cysts diagnosed?
Whether you’re coming in because you have concerns about ovarian cysts or it’s time for your annual well-woman visit, you can expect a thorough examination from Dr. MacDonald. He reviews your overall health and symptoms, then conducts a physical and pelvic exam.
To confirm you have an ovarian cyst, he offers an in-office ultrasound, which is a noninvasive procedure that uses soundwave technology to generate images of your internal reproductive organs.
How are ovarian cysts treated?
Treatment for your ovarian cysts depends on the location, size, type, and your symptoms. Dr. MacDonald works one-on-one with you to develop a personalized treatment plan. If you have a follicular or corpus luteum cyst, he may just take a wait-and-see approach. These types of cysts usually go away after a few menstrual cycles.
If your cyst is large and causing symptoms, Dr. MacDonald can remove your cyst using a minimally invasive surgical procedure.
For expert gynecological care and management of your ovarian cyst, call Dr. MacDonald’s office or schedule an appointment using the online booking button.
