What it is
An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac on the ovary. Most are the ovary doing its normal monthly job.
A follicle that does not release its egg becomes a cyst. These usually clear within a cycle or two.
Some are not part of the cycle. Endometriomas and dermoid cysts stay put, and are handled differently.
What you might notice
- A dull ache low down on one side
- Sudden sharp pain on one side
- Bloating, or a feeling of fullness
- Pain with sex on one side
- Pressure on the bladder or the bowel
- Periods that shift in timing
- Sudden severe one-sided pain with vomiting. Go to an emergency room now
- Nothing at all, until an ultrasound done for another reason finds it
How Dr. Mueller finds the cause
- 1
Your history
Dr. Mueller asks which side hurts and how the pain tracks with your cycle.
- 2
Pregnancy test
One-sided pain gets a pregnancy test first, every time.
- 3
Pelvic exam
She checks which side is tender and whether anything is enlarged.
- 4
Pelvic ultrasound
It shows the size, whether it is simple fluid, and the blood flow.
- 5
Repeat scan
Most simple cysts are rescanned in six to twelve weeks.
- 6
When to operate
Growth, a solid part, or pain that will not settle points to surgery.
Questions people ask
- Do ovarian cysts go away on their own?
- Most do. A simple cyst usually clears within two or three cycles.
- When is cyst pain an emergency?
- Sudden severe pain with vomiting. A twisted ovary needs surgery within hours. Go to an emergency room.
- Are ovarian cysts cancer?
- The large majority are not. Size, solid areas and blood flow on the scan are what change the answer.
- Will I lose my ovary?
- Usually not. A cystectomy takes the cyst and leaves the ovary behind.
- Can a cyst stop me getting pregnant?
- Most do not. Endometriomas are the ones that can affect the ovary itself.