Ovarian cysts occur quite often in women. Some experience a few symptoms. Others none until abdomen pain becomes acute.

Many cysts actually begin as the normal follicle that is grown by women during their menstrual cycle. If this follicle attaches and does not release the egg during a period, then it becomes a cyst. These follicle cysts usually disappear on their own and do not cause pain.

However, if the follicle does release its egg but seals itself back, then the cyst becomes a nuisance and potentially a danger to the woman. These cysts may disappear on their own. However, they are capable of growing too large for the tiny ovaries and ovarian tubes. They fill with blood and push against the female organs, the bowels and/or the bladder. As this happens, they may block the normal period flow causing patients to encounter irregular periods. They may make patients feel discomfort or pain in their abdomen. If this pain were constant, most would seek treatment immediately. Often, this pain is intermittent, occurring just before a period, during sexual relations or affecting the bowels or the bladder. Sometimes patients with pain during bowel movements, bladder problems or rectum pain are actually experiencing symptoms of these blood-filled cysts.

These cysts can even occur during pregnancy. The egg is released to grow into a fetus but the follicle remains and grows into a cyst.

If the cyst remains lodged and continues to fill with fluids and blood, it may twist and turn, trying to fit into the tiny space where it doesn't belong. This is when the cyst becomes more painful or actually causes internal bleeding. A sonogram can reveal the cyst, its size and its potential for harm. A laproscopy, in which a slender instrument is inserted vaginally can allow a doctor to remove the cyst.

A third cause of cysts is endometriosis, in which uterine cells grow outside of your uterus. Dermoid cysts form inside the uterus when the egg leaves behind a trace of tissue that grows into a solid such teeth or bone matter. The largest and most painful cyst is called cystadenomas. These fluid-filled cysts can grow up to a foot in diameter and may require surgical removal. A symptom of these can even be an increased belly size.

When doctors perform laproscopy, they should determine if the cysts are simply fluid filled or if they contain solids. The presence of solids indicates the need to test further for cancer cells. Solids may exist naturally
forming tissues from the egg cell such a teeth or bone. However, cancer should always be tested for and eliminated as a possibility.

A cystectomy can remove the cyst without removing the ovary. In cancer cases, a hysterectomy to remove the ovaries is generally recommended.