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Thursday, January 8, 2009

Types Of Ovarian Cysts That Can Develop

By Rebecca Wincup

Women should not be alarmed by the relatively common occurrence of functional ovarian cysts. In most cases these cysts do not predict or develop into cancer. In fact, many cysts will have no noticeable symptoms or need any form of treatment, although some could be painful and require treatment of some kind.

A follicular cyst is a simple type of ovarian cyst that occurs when ovulation does not take place or when a mature follicle collapses on itself. These kind of cysts can grow to about 2.3 inches in diameter. However, they rarely have any symptoms and should disappear without treatment after a few months.

An ovarian gland will produce progesterone during the ovulation portion of the monthly cycle of menstruation when the egg is released, and this is when a corpus luteum cyst could potentially develop. When a corpus luteum is healthy, it is approximately one inch in diameter, round in shape, and fluid filled. Corpus luteum cysts do not usually have noticeable symptoms. They can develop at the end of a menstrual cycle or early on during a pregnancy. Many of them do not require treatment, and, fortunately, disappear on their own.

As the name suggests, a hemorrhagic cyst is a type of functional ovarian cyst that releases blood. Though it is rare for these type of ovarian cyst to burst, when they do burst they leak blood and cause a burning sensation across the pelvic area. However, hemorrhagic cysts are fairly common and do not normally require treatment. Doctors may surgically remove hemorrhagic cysts when they think it indicates the presence of endometriosis.

Women can develop dermoid cysts at any time and age, but they are more common during the childbearing years. A dermoid cyst is one type of an ovarian cyst that grows from the totipotential germ cell in the ovaries. Tissues such as bone, teeth and hair can form from this ovarian cell. Dermoid cysts may contain solid physical tissue. Indded, in some cases doctors have found hair and teeth forming in these cysts. Treatment for these types of cysts is to remove them as they can block the flow of blood to the ovaries.

Included in a pathological ovarian cyst are endometriosis and tumors. These rare cysts can only be diagnosed by a doctor after a thorough examination. A pathological ovarian cyst is a type of tumor that can be either cancerous or non-cancerous and malignant or benign. Tumors must be treated soon after discovery. Tumors generally have thick walls are greater than 6cm in diameter and can be persistent unless treated. An endometrioid cyst, which is different than a tumor, occurs when a section of endometrial tissue becomes transfered into the ovaries after being dislodged. The peak reproductive years are when endometrioid cysts most often occur in women.

There are many different types of ovarian cysts and each type should be diagnosed and treated properly. Pathological ovarian cysts are less common but potentially more serious than functional cysts. Women should speak to doctors about any cyst they have, especially if they are experiencing pain in the pelvic region.

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