Functional ovarian cysts are a fairly common problem among women and should usually not be a cause for concern. Most ovarian cysts do not lead to or indicate cancer. Though some cysts may cause discomfort and others may require some treatment, the majority of functional ovarian cysts are asymptomatic and do not require treatment.
A follicular cyst is a simple type of ovarian cyst that can form when ovulation does not occur or when a mature follicle collapses on itself.
It can grow to about 2.3 inches in diameter but usually produces no symptoms and disappears by itself 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.
A hemorrhagic cyst is a type of functional ovarian cyst that contains or releases blood.
Though these cysts don’t always 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 dermoid cysts are a higher risk 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.
Sometimes doctors find hair and teeth forming in these cysts.
They are commonly removed because they may block the flow of blood to the ovaries.
An ovarian cyst that is pathological includes both tumors and endometriosis. These are not common and can only be found after examination by a doctor.
A tumor can be defined as a pathological ovarian cyst and be either cancerous or not, benign or malignant.
Tumors need to be dealt with as soon as they are discovered.
A tumor is generally 6 cm or over, thick walled and persistent.
On the other hand women in their prime reproductive years will often develop endometrioid cysts.
These endometrioid cysts are present when a woman has endometriosis and are formed when a portion of endometrial tissue bleeds, falls off and then becomes transplanted in the ovaries.
There are many different types of ovarian cysts and each type should be diagnosed and treated properly.
