Ovaries are a part of every woman’s reproductive system. There are two ovaries on either side of the womb (the uterus). The ovaries are small, bean-shaped organs.
Ovarian cysts develop on the ovaries as fluid-filled sacs. They are common and often cause no symptoms, are mostly harmless, and often disappear with no treatment being required.
At your IPSA clinic, you will always be seen by an IPSA female physician for ovarian cyst consultations, which are carried out in a confidential, calm and clean setting. With IPSA’s immediate appointments, you can be seen at once, and if you are experiencing acute pain from an ovarian cyst, you might then be referred directly to our gynaecology team. Your IPSA practitioner will always treat you holistically, as our service is person-centred, and she will, during you ovarian cyst consultation, discuss your family history and lifestyle to assess your risk of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cysts mostly cause no symptoms and there is no pain with most cysts.
Symptoms usually only appear:
This may then produce the following symptoms:
Ovarian cysts often remain undiagnosed because they produce no symptoms. Sometimes the cysts are diagnosed when an unrelated procedure is being carried out such as when you are having an ultrasound scan (USS) or a pelvic examination.
At your IPSA clinic, you will be fully examined by a female physician during the consultation and offered further investigations, including blood tests for ovarian cancer and/or a USS, depending on your history.
Treatment is provided for ovarian cysts depending on:
At your IPSA ovarian cyst consultation, you may be offered hormonal treatment to help control the pain and minimise the size of the ovarian cyst.
Most ovarian cysts are benign and disappear of their own accord in a matter of weeks. Some are linked to cancer of the ovaries. In a small percentage of women, there are many small cysts on the ovaries, and for women with these polycystic ovaries (PCO), there is a slightly increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.
The cysts will often disappear in a couple of weeks without treatment. Sometimes, as a follow-up procedure, an ultrasound scan (USS) for your ovaries may be carried out to confirm that your cyst has gone.
Conception is not normally affected by the presence of ovarian cysts.