Is the cyst dangerous? What is the danger of an ovarian cyst

Often a woman does not take seriously such a problem as an ovarian cyst, since the formation is benign.

Many do not want to undergo treatment, but in vain. After all, the consequences of an ovarian cyst can be very serious, threatening the health and life of a woman, up to oncology.

Is it dangerous?

If the cyst is small and does not cause concern, then the doctor chooses surveillance tactics. Regular examinations are mandatory in order not to miss the beginning complications.

Sometimes a woman is unaware of a problem until she encounters the severe consequences of tumor development.

The most common complications ovarian cysts:

• Inflammation. Education is growing, an infection can join it. Then the cyst becomes inflamed, affecting the ovary as well.
• . The cyst turns around its axis, blocking the access of blood. Further, there may be necrosis or rupture of the formation.
• cysts. This is due to severe inflammation or physical exertion. The contents are poured into the abdominal cavity.
• Suppuration. When the tumor becomes infected, it may begin to fill with pus, leading to sepsis or peritonitis.
• Adhesive process in the small pelvis. It also occurs due to the inflammatory process in the tumor.
• Infertility. Usually occurs against the background of an endometrioid cyst due to hormonal imbalance.
• Malignancy, that is, degeneration into a malignant formation. This occurs with uncontrolled cell division, which began due to hormonal failure.

All complications have very serious consequences and pose a health hazard. In the absence of timely medical attention death not ruled out.

Read about the causes of ovarian cysts in our article.

Cyst inflammation

Inflammation usually does not proceed asymptomatically, another thing is that a woman does not pay attention to signs of an inflammatory process. The process is mild, moderate and severe. On the initial stage the following symptoms appear:

• Slight pain in the lower abdomen from the formation.
• Delayed menses.
• Spotting in the middle of the cycle.

On the next stage symptoms get worse and new ones appear:

If you do not take any steps for treatment, then the process goes to the expressed stage and is characterized by the presence of the following features:

• Unbearable sharp pains in the abdomen.
• Nausea, vomiting, stool disorder.
• The temperature rises to 38-39 degrees.

At this stage, the inflammatory process extends to the entire ovary, fallopian tubes, and abdominal cavity. This threatens with suppuration or rupture of the cyst, in which peritonitis and sepsis may develop. In this case, the account goes to the clock.

If the inflammation is in the first and second stages, then conservative treatment with antibacterial agents is used. Painkillers are prescribed to relieve pain.

In case of severe inflammation, surgical intervention. It is carried out in the following cases:

• Ovarian abscess.
• peritonitis or sepsis.
• Failure of conservative treatment.

Most often it turns into cancer. In other cases, malignancy occurs in 2%. The risk of developing cancer increases with age and in the presence of a hereditary predisposition to oncology.

Usually at the initial stage the disease does not manifest itself. Symptoms in the form of pain and deterioration of well-being indicate about advanced cancer.

Therefore, it is important to diagnose a malignant tumor in a timely manner in order to increase the chances of a cure and survival.

Of course, no conservative therapy is provided in this situation. An oncological tumor requires surgical treatment, often followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Most often carried out radical hysterectomy, that is, the removal of the ovaries, uterus, part of the vagina, the nearest lymph nodes.

Complications after operations

The development of complications after surgery to remove the cyst is not such a rare case. The consequences may appear in the first time after the operation, and also be remote.

Primary Complications manifest as an inflammatory process, suppuration of sutures, bleeding. It is not difficult to prevent such processes, it is necessary to properly conduct a course of rehabilitation therapy, and the patient must strictly follow the doctor's recommendations.

Long-term complications harder to avoid. Among them:

A dangerous disease that, if left untreated, can lead to serious consequences.

Complications of a cyst pose a direct threat to the health and life of a woman; in most cases, urgent surgical treatment is required. The prognosis for treatment is favorable if the disease is diagnosed in a timely manner and treatment is started.

What consequences can be after the formation of a cyst in the ovary, the doctor will tell in the video:

No one will argue with the fact that frightening diagnoses are increasingly common in medical practice today. Tumors have become a real scourge of modern humanity. The disease does not spare either the young or the old, and, most importantly, no specialist can name the exact causes of the development of the tumor. In this regard, it is not surprising that many of us regard the appearance of any neoplasm in our body almost as a death sentence. Even when it comes to cysts.

We know that a cyst is dangerous and do not think about the nature of this neoplasm, believing that it is akin to any cancerous tumor. But it's not. A cyst is not at all the same as a tumor that matures in the body, provoking cancer. Indeed, a cyst is dangerous, but the danger of this kind of neoplasm lies elsewhere. Let's try to figure out why a cyst is dangerous, and whether it is worth fearing.

Why is a cyst dangerous?

Before drawing conclusions about how dangerous a cyst is, you need to figure out what this neoplasm is. Any cyst, no matter where it occurs, looks the same - it is a hollow neoplasm filled with fluid. Depending on the type of cyst, its filling may be different, but in any case it will be liquid.

Of course, a cyst is dangerous, but the degree of its danger depends on where exactly it is located. For example, if a cyst grows under the skin, then it will not cause any special problems other than aesthetic ones, but if a cyst develops in the tissues of the brain, then this can most sadly affect health, causing problems with vision, hearing, the development of seizures, etc. ., depending on those parts of the brain that are under pressure from a growing neoplasm. Thus, we can say that the more important the organ next to which the cyst develops, the more harm it can bring to health.

Any cyst becomes dangerous when it begins to grow. Up to this point, almost any cyst is not touched, but carefully watched. There are cases when a patient lives for many years with a diagnosed cyst, and he is never prescribed surgical treatment. Why is a cyst dangerous? First of all, increasing in size, the cyst begins to compress closely located organs and thereby disrupts their functions, which affects the patient's health.

Secondly, a large neoplasm is a kind of “time bomb”, which at any moment can “explode”, or rather burst and cause the internal contents of the cyst to spill out and cause general inflammation. Therefore, when asking the question of whether a cyst is dangerous, one must understand that, despite the fact that this neoplasm does not degenerate into a malignant one, it can nevertheless lead to the death of the patient if the cyst ruptures. This is especially dangerous if the cyst is located in the brain tissues, but any other cyst can become a serious threat to the health and life of the patient.

Types of ovarian cysts

Thus, a cyst is dangerous. But millions of women most often encounter such a pathology as an ovarian cyst and would like to know why this kind of cyst is dangerous. What are ovarian cysts and how dangerous is a cyst of this kind? An ovarian cyst may be:

• Follicular
• Yellow body cyst
• Dermoid
• endometrioid

The first two types belong to the so-called functional cysts. How dangerous an ovarian cyst is depends largely on this. The fact is that functional cysts have one feature - they can dissolve on their own over time. Therefore, most often, patients with such a diagnosis are under the supervision of a specialist for some time, until the moment when the neoplasm resolves itself. If this does not happen, then the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment.

How dangerous is a dermoid and endometrioid cyst? These cysts do not disappear on their own, and they will have to be treated anyway. It must be remembered that a cyst is dangerous, especially if the size of the neoplasm is large. You can find out how big a cyst is by going through an ultrasound appointment by a specialist. In addition, whether a cyst is dangerous can be determined by determining the rate of its growth.

The growth rate of cysts is different and no specialist will predict how quickly the neoplasm will increase in size. Some types of cysts grow slowly or do not grow throughout the life of the patient, while others, on the contrary, begin to grow rapidly, provoking symptoms such as abdominal pain, bleeding, disruption of the cycle, etc. The rapid growth of a cyst is a clear indication for its removal. In addition, an indication for surgery is rupture or suppuration of the cyst, which also leads to pain and fever. Thus, the answer to the question “is a cyst dangerous?” unambiguous. This neoplasm is dangerous because you can never predict how "calm" it will be.

What other types of cysts are there?

As already mentioned, cysts can form almost everywhere in the body. Wherever a cyst appears, it becomes potentially dangerous. Most often, such neoplasms are diagnosed in the brain, kidneys, mammary glands, uterus, ovaries. A brain cyst provokes neurological disorders, a kidney cyst leads to squeezing of the organ, bladder and ureters, as well as impaired blood flow. All this provokes a violation of kidney function and the operation in this case is inevitable. The most "harmless" is a breast cyst. It very rarely grows large and does not deform the mammary gland itself. Although, of course, each case is individual.

Thus, despite the fact that a cyst is dangerous, you should not panic if you have been given a similar diagnosis. First, you need to find out where the cyst is located, whether it is large, and whether there is a need to remove it. It is possible that you can live your whole life without experiencing the inconvenience of a neoplasm, subject to constant medical supervision.

A cyst differs from a tumor in the content and nature of growth - it increases due to liquid or semi-liquid filling, while the tumor increases due to cell division.

The cyst occurs in the composition of the ovary, which increases its size. It can reach up to 20 cm in diameter.

Symptoms of the disease

As a rule, with a non-acute condition, an ovarian cyst practically does not show symptoms.

Sometimes they can be detected by chance, during a routine examination or a procedure for diagnosing other diseases, but some women may have:

• painful or heavy periods;
• Varicose veins of the pelvis or lower extremities due to excessive compression of the venous bundles by the cyst;
• Enlargement, asymmetry of the abdomen, which may indicate a large size of the cyst;
• Nausea, vomiting after increased physical exertion, sexual intercourse;
• during/after or physical activity;
• Frequent/false urge to defecate or urinate.

What is the danger?

In most cases, an ovarian cyst does not threaten the life and health of a woman, and .

In this case, ovarian dysfunction may begin (such as obstruction of the tubes or others), as a result of which conception becomes difficult or impossible.

Is it possible to get pregnant with an ovarian cyst, read.

education gap

Rupture of an ovarian cyst (apoplexy) characterizes a violation of the whole shell of the cyst, followed by the release of its contents into the pelvic cavity; internal bleeding develops.

Rupture can occur with any kind of cyst and at any time in the menstrual cycle. The left ovary is most often subject to apoplexy, due to its more intense blood supply.

Some factors can provoke a rupture of a cyst.:

• Strengthened physical activity;
• Intensive / interrupted sexual intercourse;
• Abdominal injury;
• Vaginal manipulations/research.

In rare cases, rupture can occur in a state of absolute rest.

Surgical treatment of apoplexy.

The consequences of the rupture are the development of an adhesive process in the small pelvis, which is fraught with problems with the onset of pregnancy.

Transformation into a malignant tumor

Depending on the type of cyst, there is a possibility of its malignancy in a malignant tumor..

If a cyst is suspected to degenerate, the patient's history, the date of occurrence of the cyst, the duration and nature of the course, the dynamics of development are carefully studied, laboratory and functional diagnostic studies are prescribed.

The most alarming symptom in assessing the condition is severe pain in the ovarian region.

Symptoms of early degeneration of a cyst into oncology are:

• General deterioration, increased fatigue, weakness;
• Feeling of discomfort in the abdominal cavity;
• On palpation, dense tuberous formations are felt in the ovarian region;
• Soreness, bloating, nausea, belching, loss of appetite;
• Elevated ESR in the blood test;
• Temperature increase up to 38 °С in the evening;
• The appearance of angiomas (red moles) on the skin;
• Increased libido (sex drive);
• Enlargement of the mammary glands;
• Hyperemia of the nipple area;
• A slight increase in the size of the uterus;
• The presence of keratinized cells in the vaginal smear;
• Irregularity of menstruation;
• Chronic inflammatory processes in the pelvis;
• Dull pain of a constant nature in the lower abdomen;
• Violation of the stool, urination.

Cyst inflammation

Absolutely any ovarian cyst can be inflamed; distinguish between primary and secondary inflammation.

In primary inflammation, only the border of the appendages is covered; favorably treatable by conservative treatment methods.

With secondary inflammation, the uterine cavity and vagina are first covered, and then the ovaries; Treatment is exclusively surgical.

The provoking factors for the involvement of cysts in inflammatory processes are:

• Acute or chronic infection of the genital organs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, etc.)
• A strong decrease in immunity against the background of stress, beriberi, depletion of the body, HIV, postpartum period
• Installed intrauterine contraceptive coil (immediate replacement of the coil, non-compliance with personal hygiene)
• Surgical or diagnostic manipulations in the uterine cavity
• Complication after purulent appendicitis

Degrees and symptoms of inflammation:

• Light degree. The general condition is favorable; slight pain in the area of ​​the affected ovary, irradiation to the anus; increased urination, menstrual irregularities, rarely - spotting from the vagina.
• Moderate. With untimely or poor-quality treatment of a mild degree, inflammatory processes intensify. Symptoms change: severe persistent pain in the lower abdomen, a significant increase in body temperature, frequent urge to urinate / defecate.
• Severe inflammation. This condition is fraught with the formation of an abscess and pyosalpinx - filling the fallopian tubes with pus. Inflammatory processes can begin to spread to the area of ​​​​the vagina and uterus. With the development of severe inflammation, immediate surgical treatment is required, otherwise, there is a high risk of a breakthrough of the purulent contents of the cyst into the small pelvis and abdominal cavity.

CAREFULLY!

The main consequences of inflammation of the ovarian cyst are the development of adhesions in the pelvis, obstruction of the tubes, infertility, menstrual cycle failure.

Adhesions on the ovaries

Spikes on the ovaries are called connective tissue formations that appear as a result of a violation of the integrity of the ovarian tissues (surgical interventions, rupture and removal of an ovarian cyst, etc.).

When tissue is damaged, the body restores structure with the help of intensive cell division.

If cellular regeneration does not have time to restore the damaged tissue, the defective tissue is replaced by the synthesis of fibroblasts, resulting in the formation of connective tissue.

Thus, adhesions appear that can affect not only the ovary, but also the peritoneum and neighboring organs of the small pelvis.

Most often, the development of pathology is asymptomatic, they can appear only after a long time..

The first sign of the adhesive process may be a difficult pregnancy due to adhesions preventing the release of the egg.

Other symptoms include:

• Constant pain sensations of a dull nature, localized below on one side of the abdomen. The pain may increase with the onset of menstruation.
• With obstruction of the fallopian tubes, symptoms of inflammation appear - weakness, lethargy, fever, mild pain in the lower abdomen, general malaise.
• Violations of the ovarian-menstrual cycle - there are changes in the structure of the stroma and gland, a violation of the functionality of the ovary. Manifested by complete or partial amenorrhea (absence of menstruation up to 3 months).
• Copious, bloody vaginal discharge.

The main complication of adhesive processes in the ovary is infertility.

How fast is growing?

Hormonal failure, multiple abortions, inflammatory processes of the pelvic organs are capable of provoking the development and growth of cystic formations of the ovary.

In some cases (true ovarian cyst - functional, endometrial, paraovarian) the cyst is able to dissolve on its own, while other cysts (dermoid, endometrioid, cystadenomas) can increase in size for a long time and reach a diameter of up to 20 cm.

Conclusion and Conclusions

The most important thing, when an ovarian cyst is detected, is the correct and competent treatment..

In no case should you resort to folk methods and try to cure a cyst on your own, the consequences can be extremely unpleasant.

You need to have complete confidence in your doctor.

Useful video

From the video you will learn about what an ovarian cyst can be dangerous for:

In contact with

Unfortunately, not many women today know what is dangerous. The fact is that such a pathology may not manifest itself for a long time. Therefore, it is detected either at a scheduled examination by a gynecologist, or when it reaches a large size and has certain complications.

Despite the fact that functional formations often do not pose a threat to a woman's health, ovarian cysts are still dangerous. The reason is that such pathologies can be accompanied by more complex diseases that require prompt and complete treatment. It is impossible to leave cystic formations without therapy, because of the danger to health.

Often, such a pathology is a bubble, inside of which it is located. It can develop not only on the surface of the ovary, but also directly in it, sometimes reaching sizes of tens of centimeters. However, the question arises, what is the danger of a cyst on the ovary in a woman? First of all, such formations can lead to the development of the following complications:

Types of education and their danger

Speaking about whether an ovarian cyst is dangerous, it is worth considering their various types. The fact is that each of them has its own causes, symptoms and consequences. So, there are such pathologies as:

Often functional cysts, which are large, are detected only in a small number of women. The danger of such anomalies is that they have similar symptoms with more serious diseases. The causes of development are often abortions, problems with the endocrine system, hormonal disruptions, and sexual infection.

Warning

Postponing a visit to the doctor is dangerous if you have the following symptoms:

Most of the developing cysts in the body do not pose a threat and disappear on their own over time. However, under certain circumstances, they can twist, become inflamed with the formation of pus, and also burst. Such situations require immediate.

When a cyst is detected during the first three months of pregnancy, it is necessary to regularly monitor its development. This is due to the possibility of its increase. Read more about cystic formations during pregnancy.

Sasha Chava, biologist, author of the telegram channel about women's health OVOSTI.

An ovarian cyst is a small sac whose wall is made up of ovarian cells and the cavity is filled with fluid or other tissues. It appears either due to cyclical fluctuations in hormones in the menstrual cycle, or with certain diseases.

What are cysts?

Functional

This is the most common the type of benign cysts and the normal component of the menstrual cycle. Functional cysts appear from time to time in almost every woman and usually disappear without a trace.

Normally, in each menstrual cycle, the ovary prepares one egg for fertilization. The egg matures in a small sac called a follicle. During ovulation, the follicle ruptures, the egg is released from the ovary and travels to the uterus, where fertilization can occur.

After ovulation, the tissues of the follicle gather into a mass of cells called the corpus luteum. This is a temporary endocrine gland that produces the hormone progesterone - it is needed to maintain a possible pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum gradually resolves.

Functional cysts are two types:

• Follicular cystIt is formed when the egg is mature, but has not passed ovulation and remains inside the follicle. For some time, such a cyst increases due to the accumulation of fluid inside. As a rule, it exists for one to three months, then it dissolves along with the contents.

• Cyst of the corpus luteum, or luteal cyst,is formed due to improper formation of the corpus luteum. Then the follicle fills with fluid and turns into a cyst that lasts no more than three months.

Other benign cysts

• endometrioma- formed on the surface of the ovary . The endometrioma is filled with thick blood, which is similar in consistency and color to chocolate, so sometimes such cysts are called chocolate.
• Teratoma, or dermoid cyst. It is a benign tumor that develops from progenitor cells. These are cells that can give rise to several types of tissue, so when a teratoma is removed and opened, even hair, teeth, or nails are sometimes found there.
• Cystadenoma - is formed from ovarian epithelial cells that multiply excessively. This is a benign ovarian tumor filled with fluid or mucus.

Malignant cysts

In rare cases, a cyst is a manifestation of ovarian cancer. Malignant cysts are more common during menopause.

How do I know if I have a cyst

As a rule, cysts form and disappear without showing themselves. Therefore, most often it is detected during a routine examination or ultrasound.

If there are many cysts or one, but large, characteristic symptoms appear:

• Pain in the pelvic region, which can be very different: constant, dull or acute onset.
• Pain during sex.
• Violation of the menstrual cycle (regularity and amount of discharge change).
• Excessive growth of body hair (a common symptom of a hormonal disease - polycystic ovary syndrome).
• Bloating or a feeling of heaviness and fullness in the abdomen.
• Frequent urge to urinate.
• Sharp and very severe pain in the abdomen or pelvis (sometimes accompanied by dizziness, loss of consciousness, nausea or vomiting) - symptoms of rupture or torsion of the cyst. This is an emergency, so you need to call an ambulance immediately.

When is it dangerous?

• When it reaches a large size: it becomes more than 5 centimeters in diameter (different parameters are given in the clinical guidelines).Dermoid cysts can reach gigantic sizes, displace the ovary or cause it torsion - when the vascular pedicle of the ovary is twisted and the outflow or inflow of blood is disturbed.
• If there is a torsion or rupture of a large cyst, in which its contents are poured into the abdominal cavity. The consequences can be different: severe pain, increased pressure, prolonged bleeding. Sometimes it is enough to take painkillers, and sometimes urgent surgery is required.
• When a cyst is a manifestation of polycystic ovary syndrome. This is a hormonal disease in which the level of male sex hormones (androgens) is increased in the body. Due to an excess of androgens, the eggs do not mature and do not ovulate - many follicular cysts form in the ovary, which often lead to infertility.
• If cysts persist or form in the ovary during menopause. In this case, the risk of transformation of the cystic mass into a malignant tumor increases.
• If the cyst is a manifestation of a malignant disease (ovarian cancer).