MyDoc Urgent Care offers top-level medical services, including GYN care, from state-of-the-art facilities in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Forest Hills, East Meadow, and Little Neck, New York. Our team is happy to provide information about ovarian cysts, how they develop, and treatments that may prevent them.
Most ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop within or on an ovary. The most common type are functional cysts, which form during the menstrual cycle.
Your ovaries naturally grow small inner structures called follicles each month. Normally, the follicle breaks open and releases a mature egg when you ovulate. The follicle then shrinks, becomes known as the corpus luteum, and begins producing estrogen and progesterone, which are necessary for conception.
Most ovarian cysts involve the follicle or the corpus luteum. A follicular cyst occurs when the follicle doesn’t open and continues to grow without releasing an egg. A corpus luteum cyst develops when fluid builds up inside the corpus luteum, causing a cyst. Both types are usually asymptomatic unless they grow quite large; each of these types of cysts generally resolve within three to four menstrual cycles.
Other ovarian cysts are less common and unrelated to the menstrual cycle. These cysts include:
Teratomas can grow within an ovary and may contain hair, teeth, or skin tissue.
Filled with mucus, cystadenomas grow on the outer ovary surface.
These cysts occur in conjunction with endometriosis.
Ovarian cysts, especially those unrelated to your menstrual cycle, may eventually rupture or become large enough to move the affected ovary out of position, leading to severe pain and requiring urgent medical attention.
Women usually develop one follicle per month, which may develop into a cyst. However, people with PCOS develop multiple follicles every month, which may or may not develop into fluid-filled cysts.
However, PCOS also causes hormonal imbalances that may lead to the following:
PCOS typically develops in adolescence and requires medical care to rebalance hormonal levels and address other health complications.
Unfortunately, you can’t prevent ovarian cysts. However, birth control pills that stop ovulation can reduce the incidence of symptomatic functional cysts.
Other cyst types, such as teratomas, require careful monitoring or surgical removal. Routine pelvic exams or women’s health visits can ensure that changes in your ovaries are diagnosed quickly and treated appropriately.
Also, visit MyDoc Urgent Care if you’re experiencing the following symptoms:
Sudden, severe abdominal or pelvic pain, fever, or vomiting could signal the need for immediate medical attention.
Take advantage of MyDoc Urgent Care’s walk-in clinic or same-day doctor visits today. Call the office, or use our online services to request an appointment.
