Ovarian Cysts Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Most ovarian cysts do not cause symptoms. The two most common symptoms are:

• Pelvic pain
• Menstrual bleeding

Pain is usually caused by:

• Direct pressure from the cysts on the ovaries and surrounding structures
  • Causing chronic pelvic fullness or a dull ache
• Bleeding from a cyst into and around the ovary
  • Causing more intense, sharp pain as the blood irritates the lining of the abdomen

Pain may come and go on a regular basis. Or, you may notice the pain more:

• Just before or after your period
• During sex

Other symptoms:

• Urinary discomfort associated with bladder pressure or irritation
• Nausea
• Diarrhea

In rare cases, a cyst may become twisted. This can cut off its own blood supply, causing:

• Severe abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Fever

Call your doctor right away if you have these symptoms.

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. She will also do a pelvic exam. Cysts are often found during routine pelvic exams when there are no symptoms.

If a cyst is suspected or found, the doctor may do a pelvic ultrasound . This is a test that uses sound waves to create images of the ovaries. Using this test, your doctor can determine:

• Type and size of the cyst
• Type of treatment needed

Other tests or procedures may be used if a cyst:

• Does not go away after several menstrual cycles
• Gets larger and more painful
• Does not appear to be a simple functional cyst

Other tests may include:

• Laparoscopy —a thin, lighted tube and other small instruments are inserted through several tiny incisions in the abdomen to look at the ovaries directly, drain fluid from a cyst, or take a sample for biopsy
• Blood test for the protein CA-125 —done when a cyst is suspected of being cancerous
  • CA-125 is often elevated in the case of ovarian cancer. But it can also be elevated in benign situations.