The majority of cysts that form are painless and won’t even cause any symptoms. Most women don’t even know that they have a cyst, but the majority of women will also experience a cyst at some point in their lives.
While some ovarian cysts are being and harmless, others are painful and can cause some health problems. Women need to know about these symptoms, because cysts can indicate cancer or some other health issue that needs to be corrected.
Ovarian cyst treatment can help with the symptoms and even remove a cyst, but it is always better to catch this problem early on. That’s why we are telling women about the symptoms to look out for. If you are paying attention, you may be able to find and remove a cyst at an early stage, before it can cause much trouble.
Pelvic Pain
If menstrual pain is stronger than usual, it needs to be checked out. It could be an indication that there is something medically wrong, not a simple aberration that will go away on its own. This is especially true for women who are over 40, as they are more at risk for health complications and cancer. Pelvic pain can be an early indicator of ovarian cancer and could be caused by cancerous cysts.
Breast Tenderness
Women need to be aware of changes in their breasts as well. These can sometimes indicate the presence of cysts. The breasts are part of the reproductive system- tangentially related, but related nonetheless. Problems in the ovaries can have an effect on the breasts, and if breast tissue feels achy or tender, it could indicate a problem that needs to be addressed. As with any health problem, women should consider if there is a reasonable answer for why it is happening, and if they cannot immediately understand what is causing the symptom, it is worth looking at closer.
Digestive Pain
Because the ovaries are located close to the digestive tract, problems in one can cause problems in another. As cysts form, they may interfere with digestion, causing abdominal or stomach pain. They can also cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal swelling and painful bowel movements.
Severe Symptoms
What we have covered so far are simply mild symptoms. These may be early indicators of more serious problems, but there are also severe symptoms you need to watch for. Look for any of the following signs that tell you there is an immediate health problem that needs to be addressed. These may or may not be caused by ovarian cysts:
- Fever
- Fast breathing
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Severe pain in the pelvis
These may be signs that you have ovarian cancer or some other major complications. Along with these symptoms, there are complications related to ovarian cysts that you should be aware of.
Cancer growth is possible from malignant cysts. Women should be tested regularly for ovarian cancer after the age of 30.
Women who exercise caution and who pay attention to their bodies can catch health problems early on. They can find ovarian cysts and similar health issues before they become major problems just by listening to their bodies.
Watching for Symptoms
Look for multiple symptoms to indicate that there is an ovarian cyst problem as opposed to another health problem. When you see multiple symptoms and notice that they all are symptoms for the same kind of medical problem, like ovarian cysts, that should alarm you and cause you to move into action. Make sure you get an appointment with your doctor and disclose all the symptoms, identifying when they started, if at all possible.
Some of these symptoms might be very personal, and you may be uncomfortable talking about them. Even so, you need to let your doctor know. Symptoms related to sexual activity and menstruation can be touchy subjects, but the more your doctor knows, the more help you will be able to get.
If you need to, you can ask for a different doctor to discuss your problems with, but it is important that your medical problems be addressed and any complications or serious symptoms related to ovarian cysts be treated.