Natural Remedy for Ovarian Cysts

How to Know if You Have an Ovarian Cyst

The truth is, most women do not know they have an ovarian cyst.  It’s something you usually find out when you are already at the doctor for a regular checkup.   This is actually a good thing, as most cysts will be reabsorbed by your body without you doing anything about it.  Just think of it as a little bit less stress!

However, when cysts cause problems, then you do have symptoms.  It’s in these cases that you need to be the most careful.  And sometimes, the symptomless cysts can burst on you, causing a number of complications.

So after all that, here’s a list of symptoms you may experience if you have an ovarian cyst:

• Irregular Period.
• Pelvic pain – constant or comes and goes.  May radiate across back and down legs.
• Pelvic pain right before your period starts or after it ends.
• Pain during intercourse.
• Pain during bowel movements or a feeling of pressure on your bowels.
• Symptoms similar to early pregnancy – nausea, vomiting, and breast tenderness.
• Feeling of fullness of heaviness in your lower abdomen.
• Pressure on your rectum or bladder.  Sometimes have problems emptying the bladder completely.

If you have any of these symptoms, you need to call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.

• Symptoms of shock – rapid breathing, light headedness, clammy skin.
• Sudden and severe abdominal or pelvic pain.
• Pain accompanied by fever or vomiting.

Information courtesy of the Mayo Clinic.

When you are diagnosed with a functional ovarian cyst, most doctors will take a wait and see approach.  This basically means that the doctor will do nothing for two to three months.  After that time, he or she will check to see if the cyst has started to shrink on its own.

This approach is the primary way of treating ovarian cysts.  As most cysts are functional and noncancerous, this is generally the best approach.  However, it can leave you in a lot of pain while you wait for the cyst to shrink.  It also does nothing to speed the process of cyst removal or prevent future cysts from forming.

How This Treatment is Prescribed

During a pelvic exam, the doctor will feel a mass on your ovary.  Afterwards, he will have you get an ultrasound.  This will show whether the mass is a fluid filled cyst or something else.  If it is filled with fluid, you will be asked to return for another ultrasound in two to three months.

If the cyst is especially large, in danger of bursting or twisting the ovary, or made of solid material, then surgery will be recommended.

Who This Treatment Works For

The majority of women will have their cysts dissolve naturally without doing anything.  As long as you have a functional follicular or corpus luteum cyst, it should disappear within two to three months.  However, if you have painful, large or recurring cysts, you may want to look into other options.  These are hormonal therapy, surgery, or natural treatment.

What Happens If the Cyst Doesn’t Dissolve

At that point, the doctor will recommend either surgery to remove the cyst, or hormonal therapy to reduce it.  However, both of these treatment methods have drawbacks.  They don’t prevent future cysts, and in the case of birth control, sometimes worsen existing cysts.