2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43
Causes and symptoms of ovarian follicular cyst
What is an ovarian follicular cyst?
Follicular ovarian cyst is a tumor-like, usually unilateral, benign formation that forms inside the ovary. It is one of the most common types of functional cysts that arise in response to various physiological processes in a normally functioning ovary. A follicular cyst is a follicle that, during ovulation, releases a mature cell filled with fluid.
Follicular cyst signs and symptoms
Follicular cysts up to 5 cm in diameter usually do not manifest clinically, but can cause an increase in the level of estrogen in the bloodstream, which leads to an irregularity in the menstrual cycle:
- delayed menstruation - which is the main reason for a woman to see a doctor;
- scanty bleeding between periods, turning in some cases into "planned" menstruation;
- discomfort during the second phase (14 days from the onset of menstruation) of the menstrual cycle.
There is a decrease in the basal temperature - below 36.8 0 C. In girls under the age of 10, signs of false premature sexual development may be observed - a slight increase in the mammary glands, scanty secretions from the genital tract.
The presence of a large cyst is also accompanied by the following symptoms:
- feeling of "fullness", heaviness in the groin area (left or right);
- dull or sharp pains that appear during the second phase of the menstrual cycle, intensify during intercourse, sudden movements, running and other types of physical activity.
- increased body temperature.
Patients complain of malaise, general weakness.
The causes of the follicular cyst
For a long time, the pathogenesis of ovarian water sickness was unknown. Modern medicine has two theories of its origin.
1. Changes occurring in the ovaries during inflammatory processes of the uterine appendages due to: - oophoritis, salpingitis, adnexitis, due to:
- congestive hyperemia of the pelvic organs;
- oophoritis, salpingitis, adnexitis;
- abortion and other gynecological interventions;
- STDs;
- acute infections.
2. Hormonal imbalance due to:
- uncontrolled use of hormonal drugs, including contraceptives;
- childbirth;
- dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
- hyperstimulation of ovulation, for example, in the treatment of infertility;
- stress, physical exhaustion, hunger or overeating.
A follicular cyst can occur in newborn girls or during their intrauterine development with:
- stimulation of the ovaries of the fetus with the mother's estrogen;
-
hormonal surge during childbirth.
In almost 50% of newborns, the cyst disappears within the first two months of life.
Delayed menstruation with follicular cyst
Follicular ovarian cyst is both a cause and a consequence of hormonal imbalance. The cells of its shell produce excess female sex hormones (estrogens). By promoting cell division, estrogens indirectly inhibit the onset of menstruation. A delay in menstruation can range from several days to 1 month.
The course of menstruation, which came with a delay, passes with complications:
- pain;
- profusion and duration of bleeding - sometimes with clots.
In some cases, the transition of menstruation to uterine bleeding is possible.
Follicular cyst during pregnancy
As a rule, if a follicular cyst has formed on one of the ovaries, ovulation does not occur in any of the organs. But there are exceptional cases when a healthy ovary nevertheless expelled an egg, it was fertilized, and pregnancy began. It is even more rare when, despite the already existing pregnancy, a follicle matures in one of the ovaries, and a cyst subsequently forms from it.
At the twelfth week, absolutely all pregnant women undergo an ultrasound scan. If during the study a follicular cyst is found, and it is small, usually the gynecologist decides to wait until 17-18 weeks, and then perform laparoscopic removal of the cyst. Intervention at an earlier date can negatively affect the course of pregnancy and provoke a miscarriage.
However, if the detected follicular cyst has a leg, then regardless of the gestational age, such a neoplasm is immediately removed. A growing fetus and a change in the position of internal organs will almost certainly lead to torsion of the cyst pedicle and its subsequent necrosis. That is, here we are talking not only about preserving pregnancy, but also about preserving the life and health of the mother.
Complications (possible consequences) of the follicular ovarian cyst
A follicular cyst is a completely normal physiological condition, and it usually disappears within one to three menstrual periods. Possible complications:
- partial or complete torsion of the ovary - the blood supply to the neoplasm is disrupted, necrosis develops (tissue necrosis);
- rupture of the follicular ovarian cyst is one of the most serious complications that threaten a woman's life, leading to peritonitis;
- rupture of the ovary - can result in large blood loss and death.
Common symptoms of all complications are a sharp, rapidly "spreading" pain, nausea, fainting, pallor of the skin and others. The abatement of pain indicates a worsening of the condition - the development of peritonitis.
Ovarian follicular cyst treatment
Follicular cyst refers to functional neoplasms of the ovary, along with the corpus luteum cyst. Functional means associated with natural reproductive processes: maturation of follicles and ovulation. Such neoplasms are not malignant and occur quite often in healthy women.
A small follicular cyst (0.5-3 cm in diameter) does not give itself out and, as a rule, dissolves as imperceptibly as it appeared after 3-4 menstrual cycles. And larger cysts can bother a woman, and then, if she is responsible for her health, she visits a gynecologist.
The doctor diagnoses a large (5-8 cm in diameter) follicular cyst by palpation of the abdominal cavity: the cyst is round, dense and painless. If the patient comes to an appointment with complications of a follicular cyst, the diagnosis is usually differential, since there are other, more striking symptoms, and urgent surgical treatment is required. The best option in this case is laparoscopic diagnostics, during which you can immediately remove the cyst.
Why is the treatment of ovarian follicular cyst necessary?
If a follicular cyst rarely bothers a woman, and in most cases resolves by itself, then why treat it at all? With this approach, the question could be asked: why should I visit a gynecologist every 6 months if I feel normal? A follicular cyst, especially often recurrent, firstly, threatens the development of oncology in the future, secondly, it indicates the threat of infertility and miscarriage, and thirdly, it can end with formidable complications.
A follicular cyst can cause the following complications:
- Twist the legs. If the cyst is a pedicle bladder, the base of the cyst may twist as a result of falling, tilting, abdominal trauma, or active sex. In this case, the blood supply to the cyst body stops, and it dies off. An anesthetic cyst often has to be removed along with the diseased ovary;
- Cyst rupture. The shell may not withstand the pressure of the liquid and burst. Then the contents of the follicular cyst will pour out into the abdominal cavity, and this threatens with peritonitis and death;
- Hemorrhage into the cyst cavity. A sharp blow to the lower abdomen or injury can provoke rupture of the blood vessels that feed the cyst body. As a result, it will fill with blood and burst, and then events will develop according to the scenario described above.
If there is a complication of the follicular cyst, treatment is required immediately, and it can only be surgical.
Depending on the type of complication, a woman has all at once, or some of the following symptoms:
- Sharp, unbearable pain in the lower abdomen;
- Decreased blood pressure and increased heart rate;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Pale skin and blue lips;
- Clammy, cold sweat;
- Weakness, even fainting;
- In case of rupture and intoxication - high temperature.
Ovarian follicular cyst treatment methods
If the cyst does not exceed three to five centimeters in diameter, it usually does not bother the woman and goes unnoticed. But if during a gynecological examination or ultrasound examination a cyst was found, most doctors take a wait-and-see attitude. And only if after 2-3 months the follicular cyst not only did not dissolve, but also showed a tendency to increase in size, they proceed to treatment.
Medication for ovarian cysts
Young women of childbearing age, in whom the follicular cyst often recurs, or is detected for the first time, but increases, modern birth control pills help to cope with this problem perfectly. They normalize hormonal levels and prevent the development of a cyst at the site of a follicle with an unfertilized egg. In addition to oral contraceptives, vitamins, homeopathic and folk remedies, and anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended.
Physiotherapy treatment of ovarian cysts
It is possible to accelerate the resorption of the follicular ovarian cyst with the help of physiotherapeutic procedures: electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, smt-phoresis, ultraphonophoresis. The feasibility of physiotherapeutic treatment is determined by the doctor, but practice shows that with large (7-8 cm in diameter) follicular cysts, such techniques are unproductive, and it is better to resort to surgical intervention.
Laparoscopic Ovarian Cyst Removal
In modern gynecology, laparoscopic resection of the ovarian follicular cyst is practiced as the most reliable and safe method of treatment. The operation is carried out as planned, takes only about half an hour and does not leave any marks on the patient's body. Epidural anesthesia is often used instead of general anesthesia.
If complications are suspected, the methods of traditional surgery are used - an abdominal incision:
- Cystectomy - only the neoplasm is excised. After healing, the functions of the ovary are fully restored.
- Ovarian cyst resection - simultaneously with the removal of the cyst, the damaged tissue of the ovary itself is removed. It is also possible to preserve fertility.
- Ovariectomy - the damaged ovary is completely removed.
The latter method is used for ovarian apoplexy (rupture).
In the abdominal cavity, the doctor makes several holes through which a special gas is supplied, thanks to which the position of the internal organs becomes clearly visible. A laparoscope is inserted into the holes - a long tube with a video camera and a surgical instrument at the end. By seeing the image on the monitor, the surgeon can gently excise the cyst, along with the capsule and pedicle, if any.
If the cyst was very large, during the next day after the operation, the punctures are not sutured, and the drainage system works. But usually the patient is discharged on the same day. The situation is much worse if the surgical intervention is abdominal and unplanned - a complication of the cyst has arisen, for example, ovarian apoplexy, which has to be removed. Then the woman is under the supervision of doctors for much longer, and a noticeable scar will most likely remain on her body.
Unconventional treatments
Read about unconventional methods of treating follicular ovarian cysts in this article
Prevention of recurrent follicular ovarian cysts
Preventive measures are recommended based on the reasons for the formation of an ovarian follicular cyst:
- emotional peace, timely bedtime - up to 23 hours;
- support of hormonal and vitamin balance;
- regular moderate physical activity - sports lovers are advised to exclude sharp bends, torso twists and other exercises that stimulate negative pressure in the abdominal cavity;
If you have a history of cystic diseases, it is recommended to exclude
- thermal, mud therapy and other procedures that stimulate blood circulation in the pelvic organs;
- tanning under the scorching sun, solariums;
- taking hot baths.
A good preventive effect is given by jumping rope - 5-7 minutes 1-2 times a day.
Early diagnosis is one of the best means of preventing follicular cyst complications.
The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist
Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.
Recommended:
Ovarian Cancer - Symptoms, Stages And Treatment Of Ovarian Cancer In Women, Disease Prognosis
Symptoms, stages and treatment of ovarian cancer in womenWhat is ovarian cancer?Ovarian cancer is not one, but a whole group of diseases that differ in their origin, clinical manifestation and biological properties. This type of cancer affects precisely these paired organs, which are responsible for the production of estrogen and progesterone
Follicular Angina In Adults - Symptoms, Complications, Treatment And Antibiotics For Follicular Angina
Follicular angina in adultsAngina - inflammation (tonsillitis), mainly of the palatine tonsils, which are part of the lymphadenoid pharyngeal ring (Valdeyer-Pirogov ring).According to the modern classification, tonsillitis is divided into:Acute, by the nature of inflammation (catarrhal, lacunar, follicular):Primary - acute inflammation of the tonsils, less often other formations of the pharyngeal ring, arise as an independent disease;secondary - acute infectious di
Paraovarial Cyst Of The Right And Left Ovary
Paraovarial cyst of the right and left ovaryContent:Symptoms of the paraovarian ovarian cystCauses of the paraovarian ovarian cystParaovarian ovarian cyst and pregnancyLaparoscopy of the paraovarial ovarian cystParaovarian ovarian cyst - located between the tube and the ovary of the broad ligament of the uterus
Menstruation - Scanty And Abundant Menstruation, Delay Or Absence Of Menstruation, Failure And Pain During Menstruation
Scanty and heavy periods, delay or absence of periodsWhat is menstruation (menstruation) is known firsthand to almost every female. Women also know that this biological process is characterized by cyclical changes that occur throughout the month in the body of all sexually mature women
Treatment Of Follicular Ovarian Cysts With Folk Remedies
Treatment of follicular ovarian cysts with folk remediesContent:Herbal RecipesGeneral recommendations for the treatment of ovarian cystsHerbal RecipesTo begin with, we emphasize that traditional methods of treatment are relevant only in the case of a functional ovarian cyst (follicular or yellow body)
