Ovarian cysts are experienced by most women at a few point in their life and most clear up naturally on their own. Some, though, can become large and impact a woman's health. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can develop either inside or on the outside of the ovaries. Most cysts are harmless; these cysts are around the size of a pea or even smaller and heal on their own. But some cysts can grow as large as an apple if not detected in time. Sadly, some ovarian cysts can grow even larger in size, causing a woman a lot of discomfort and threatening her health.
There are lots of distinctive ovarian cyst burst symptoms. These most of these symptoms can be grouped into three different categories, though there are a few "wild card" symptoms that will not fit nicely into these groupings. Abdominal pains, menstrual abnormalities and nausea are the main symptoms experienced by women with ovarian cysts.
The vaguest of symptoms is also the most common: pelvic pain. This pain is what causes most women to go the doctor but unless you have had a large cyst before, few women suspect that an ovarian cyst is the reason for the pain. The pain might be more concentrated during sexual intercourse, your periods, and during bowel movements or while urinating. A common sensation is the feeling of additional pressure on your colon or bladder that creates the sensation that you need to go when you know you do not have to. The pain can become lower back pain, vaginal pain or inner thigh pain. Pain from an ovarian cyst may be consistent or it may vary from a dull ache to sharp pains throughout its existence.
Menstrual abnormalities are periods that are painful, irregular flows, and a alterations in the appearance and makeup of the menstrual blood itself. Abnormalities generally also suggest that your period is lasting longer or shorter, the flow volume has changed or your period is even arriving at different times of the month than usual. And increase in cramps right before or after your period and spotting when not menstruating are also normal symptoms.
Nausea similar to that experienced when a woman who is pregnant is a typical long-term ovarian cyst symptom, and it is a symptom that frequently causes women to think they are not suffering from a problem of the ovaries. Stomach nausea can be your body trying to clear itself of a unknown object or, more likely, is your hormones being out of balance and causing morning sickness-like symptoms. Other symptoms that are more difficult to associate are weight gain, feeling full quickly, bloat and abdominal heaviness, and losing one's appetite.
A few more symptoms of ovarian cysts do exist, though these are more rare. Some women report that their hair, (on their heads, body and face) is growing quicker. Peculiar pains in the ribs may be felt which feel like muscle soreness. It is also possible to feel tight nodules under your skin that feel like bruises. Another symptom that some women report is an increase in headaches.
While a cyst is actually bursting you could experience intense pain localized to one side of your pelvis and extreme cramps. Many women say the words "rupture" and "burst" very accurately describe the pain sensation. The pain right before a cyst bursts is intense while the aftermath usually involves very little pain.
Ovarian cysts most commonly happen to women of child bearing age. There are many factors that can lead to an ovarian cyst. By far, the biggest factor in your chance of developing a cyst is if it runs in your family. You chances are greatly increased for developing cysts if other in your family have had them, (remember that family members grow up in the same environments and live the same lifestyles, so having something run in the family isn't entirely related to genetics). Some other variables known to contribute to ovarian cyst formation are a unhealthy diet and a weak immune system. Insulin resistance causes high insulin levels that boost male sex hormone creation that can damage your menstrual cycle or above average unsuccessful ovulation (when the ovary does not release its monthly egg) increase the likelihood of an ovarian cyst forming.
For the most part, a cyst is just a natural consequence of ovulation, (the part of your menstruation cycle where an egg gets released). Functional cysts get created when a follicle (sac) that holds the egg during ovulation doesn't properly release the egg or it does not fully dissolve after the egg is released. This is not uncommon occurrences and your reproductive system is developed to eliminate these, if they happen, during the menstruation cycle.
The cysts that can cause you to experience ovarian cyst burst symptoms happen when a follicle closes up after releasing an egg and fluid fills the sac. These cysts tend to heal themselves and disappear without your knowledge. Yet some are not properly removed by your immune system, causing them to grow around or right on the ovary and cutting off the blood supply to the ovary. If the cyst fills with blood, it can burst open, causing the painful symptoms described earlier.
Other events in the body can cause cysts in addition to the functional type of cyst. When a partially formed embryo dies in the fallopian tube, the excess cells may form a dermoid cyst. Endometriomas are cysts caused by the condition endometriosis where uterine cells grow outside of the uterus. These cells being introduced into the fallopian tubes can lead to ovarian cysts.
If you are diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and it is minor, your doctor will most likely tell you to wait for it to heal on it own. One method employed to prevent ovarian cysts in women who have lots of them is to regulate sex hormones by taking birth control medication. Surgery is used when a cyst grows too large. The latest uses laparoscopy, where a small incision is made in the belly button and the cysts are removed from there. This is usually a same day, out-patient surgery. Unfortunately, this method only works when cysts are diagnosed when they are small. More serious surgery is needed if the cysts have grown in size. In rare situations a cyst will have grown on top of an organ so much so that it can not be separated and oophorectomy (removal of an ovary) or a hysterectomy could be necessary.
You shouldn't be too worried because most ovarian cysts are not dangerous, even the larger painful ones. Still, you should never ignore ovarian cyst burst symptoms. Some ovarian cysts do cause cancer and or infertility. Generally, if you have pelvic pain and are worried that something isn't right, it is a good strategy to obtain medical attention. As always, preventing medical problems before they even happen because though most cysts can be treated, simply having one increases your chance of getting cancer of being unable to reproduce.
