Ovarian Cysts Specialist
Women's Health Group of Ventura
OB-GYNs & Midwives located in Ventura, CA
Ovarian cysts can be a cause of pain and infertility. They may come to your attention due to the pain or may be detected during a routine pelvic exam. The investigation then requires a pelvic ultrasound to help characterize the probable type of cysts and help assess for possible malignancy. The majority of smaller cysts (less than 6cm) usually resolve spontaneously. However, larger persistent cysts may require outpatient laparoscopy, performed through the belly button. However, if you think you might have a cyst, Dr. Patrick Diesfeld at Women’s Health Group of Ventura can check it and treat your symptoms. If you live near Ventura, California, call Women’s Health Group of Ventura today or schedule an appointment online.
Ovarian Cysts Q&A
What’s an ovarian cyst?
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs in or around your ovaries that usually form during ovulation. The most common type of ovarian cyst is a functional cyst, which develops during your menstrual cycle. If you have a functional cyst, it’s either a follicle or a corpus luteum cyst.
Follicle cyst
During your menstrual cycle, your egg grows in a sac called a follicle. This sac is located inside the ovaries. In most cases, your follicle breaks open, releasing your egg. But in the case of a follicle cyst, your follicle doesn’t break open and the fluid inside forms a cyst on your ovary.
Corpus luteum cysts
Follicle sacs typically dissolve after releasing your egg. But if this doesn’t occur and the opening of your follicle seals, additional fluid develops inside your sac, resulting in a corpus luteum cyst.
What are common symptoms of an ovarian cyst?
Most of the time, you won’t even know you have an ovarian cyst because they usually don’t trigger any symptoms or interfere with your menstrual cycle. But if your cyst is very large, you could experience pelvic pain, bloating, and fullness in your abdomen.
However, if your cyst ruptures or causes one of your ovaries to twist, there’s cause for alarm. You might experience severe pain, nausea, and vomiting. You could feel dizzy, faintness, and have rapid breathing as well. If that’s the case, you should call Dr. Diesfeld immediately.
How can you detect ovarian cysts?
Dr. Diesfeld performs a pelvic exam to feel for a swelling of the cyst on your ovary. If he finds something, he can use an ultrasound to examine the cyst further, looking at its size, shape, location, and mass. Most of the time, ovarian cysts don’t need to be treated because they typically go away on their own.
If Dr. Diesfeld detects multiple cysts on your ovaries, you might be suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS experience high levels of male hormones, irregular or no periods, and small cysts on their ovaries. This condition can also lead to infertility.
Although the discovery of an ovarian cyst can cause anxiety, most ovarian cysts are harmless. Call Women’s Health Group of Ventura or schedule an appointment online.