Natural Remedy for Ovarian Cysts

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.

Treatment for a ruptured ovarian cyst varies on a few factors: how you are feeling when you go to the hospital, how much damage was caused by the cyst rupturing, and whether there are any complications from the rupture.  The more severe the rupture, the greater the need for medical intervention.

After a cyst ruptures, almost every hospital will start you on IV antibiotics.  This is to prevent the risk of infection from the rupture, which is one of the biggest causes of complications.  Afterwards, the doctor will assess how much damage was caused by the cyst.

Damage can be caused from the fluid that leaked out of the cyst.  If not quickly absorbed by the body, it may cause scarring.  If the cyst was a chocolate or endometrial cyst, blood may have leaked into the abdomen as well.  This also can cause complications.  To determine what is going on, the doctor will likely order an ultrasound.  In some cases, if your symptoms are severe, exploratory surgery may be recommended.  This is to rule out the chance of internal bleeding.

If you are having trouble breathing, have unusually high or low blood pressure, or other severe symptoms, the physician will order a culdocentesis.  This is a way to measure the type and amount of fluid in the abdomen.

A ruptured ovarian cyst causes a great deal of pain, so the doctor is likely to prescribe you pain medication.  For high levels of pain, the doctor is likely to use morphine or Vicodin. For moderate pain, you may just be given Tylenol.  The type and amount of pain medication prescribed depends on any preexisting medical conditions and what type of antibiotics you are on.

After you are released, the doctor is likely to want to see you again in the office.  He or she will do an ultrasound to make sure everything is healing properly.  Also, you may be started on birth control pills to prevent any ovulation.  This is to prevent any additional cysts from forming while your body is still recovering.