About this topic
An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac on or inside an ovary. Women have two ovaries. Ovaries are almond-shaped organs in your lower belly. Each month, one of the ovaries produces an egg. The egg is inside of a very small sac called a follicle. Normally, the follicle breaks open and the egg travels down the fallopian tube. If the follicle does not break open, the egg will stay inside of the sac and may form a cyst. Sometimes, the egg is released but blood and other fluids become trapped in the sac to form a cyst. Often the cysts are controlled by hormones. Cysts may vary in size. Some cysts contain small pieces of hair, fat, or other tissues. ‚
Your doctor may remove the cyst with surgery if the cyst is: ‚
- Causing pain and bleeding
- Too big and is pressing on other organs
- Not fluid-filled and feels solid
- Suspected of being cancerous
Your doctor may also remove the whole ovary together with the cyst based on the size of the cyst and your age. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what you need to do.
- Talk to your doctor about what may help ease your signs.
- Your doctor may suggest ice or heat to help with your pain.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on your painful part for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep your visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Control your hormone levels
- Ease your pain
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activity if you are in pain. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Ovarian cyst does not go away
- Cyst ruptures
- Ovary twists
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
If you have recurrent ovarian cysts, birth control pills may help prevent the cysts from coming back. Ask your doctor if birth control pills may help you. ‚
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection such as a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain with passing urine.
- Belly pain or pain in your pelvis that does not go away
- Upset stomach and throwing up
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have a fever, chills, or throwing up.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Family Physicians ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/ovarian-cyst.printerview.all.html ‚
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ‚
http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq075.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120228T0235259267 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚