ovariansymptoms.com

Ovarian cancer affects 1 of 57 women as the fourth leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. Although ovarian cancer is treatable if it is diagnosed early, only 24% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed early enough. This causes decreasing survival rates as time passes by. Consequently, it is important for women to look out for early symptoms of ovarian cancer.

During  the summer of 2007, the American Cancer Society and other similar organizations published findings that symptoms such as unexpected bloating, gas, or a feeling of fullness; fatigue, menstrual abnormalities, abdominal or pelvic pain, sudden urge and/or frequent urination and sudden changes in food habits such as difficulty in consuming food or feeling full too quickly may be early symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Women who are at risk for ovarian cancer should monitor and report suspected early symptoms of ovarian cancer to their doctor in order to have it diagnosed early. Right now, early ovarian cancer cannot be definitively detected by any one  screening examination. Certain symptoms like menstrual irregularities or pelvic pain is not always indicative of ovarian cancer, but awareness of any early symptoms of ovarian cancer is helpful in saving lives.

In order to rule out ovarian cancer, it is essential to visit your doctor if you experience any sudden or out of the ordinary symptoms, and then follow it up with a bimanual pelvic exam, a transvaginal ultrasound, and a Ca125 blood test. Women who have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, have never used birth control pills or have had no pregnancies and whom were diagnosed with breast cancer before they were 50 years old are more likely than most to develop ovarian cancer.

The risk of developing ovarian cancer varies among women. Some risk factors for women include being an Ashkenazi Jew, being age 50 or older, having at least two relatives with a history of ovarian cancer, and a history of exposure to multiple fertility drugs. Women who fall within these categories should be cognizant of what constitutes early symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Having regular gynecological check-ups are important for any woman’s health.  Immediate medical attention should be sought for symptoms that are present for greater than a few weeks. It is also important to realize that what may seem to be early symptoms of ovarian cancer may be something else entirely. These symptoms can also indicate ovarian cysts, irritable bowel syndrome, or another condition that a medical examination would be able to detect.

It is extremely critical to be aware of what the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are so this disease can be stopped before getting any worse. More than 6 percent of cases of cancer are fatal and women along with their physicians need to be aware of these symptoms and keep a close watch for them.

Causes of ovarian cysts are many. During a normal menstrual cycle, the ovaries develop follicles each month. Estrogen and progesterone, two hormones which support pregnancy, are produced by these follicles. If a normal follicle continues growing for an extended period of time ovarian cysts can result.
Follicular cysts are among the most usual type. These cysts rarely have symptoms, usually harmless and disappear on their own. Ovarian cysts affecting the follicle are caused by the release of hormones from the pituitary gland that is supposed to initiate the release of an egg. Failure to release the egg makes the follicle continue to grow and develop into a cyst.
When luteinizing hormone surges during the monthly cycle and an egg is released a corpus luteum cyst is created. Once the egg is released the body then begins to prepare for possible conception through the ruptured follicle producing estrogen and progesterone. At this stage, the follicle is known as corpus luteum. A cyst is formed when the corpus luteum seals off and fluid collects inside it.
Corpus luteum cysts usually disappear on their own without treatment within a few weeks. In the meantime, however, it can grow to nearly 4 inches in diameter. It can also bleed into itself or twist the ovary.  This can cause severe pelvic and abdominal pain. Moreover, if the corpus luteum cyst fills with blood, the cyst may rupture. This can cause internal bleeding and sudden, sharp pain.
Clomiphene citrate, a commonly prescribed fertility drug to induce ovulation, might be a cause of ovarian cysts. Usage of this drug may result in an increased risk that  a corpus luteum cyst might develop. Corpus luteum cysts by themselves do not pose a risk to pregnancy.
Ovarian cysts containing blood, known as hemorrhagic or endometrioid cysts, form in the same way. The presence of blood might have been the result of an injury or from leakage of surrounding blood vessels through to the egg sac. When causes of ovarian cysts from  bleeding and shedding of endometrial tissue occurs in the ovaries, painful cysts may form. If left to continue, the pooling blood may rupture causing pelvic pain.
Though it is not possible to completely prevent the causes of ovarian cysts, increasing exercise, controlling stress, improving the quality of your diet, and improving your health can help minimize the probability of the development of an ovarian cyst.

Anytime an ovarian cyst is causing severe pain, is ruptured or twisted, large, solid, irregularly shaped, or suspected of being cancerous, removal of the cyst is recommended. The chances of a cyst being cancerous will increase for older patients, so the older the patient with the ovarian cyst is, the more likely that ovarian cyst removal will be undertaken.

Prior to the removal of the ovarian cyst, a doctor will usually perform a physical exam on the patient. They will also conduct a review of medications, a urine test, and a blood test. They may do a CT scan and X-ray of the abdomen to confirm their diagnosis before considering ovarian cyst removal.

In order to remove an ovarian cyst, a doctor may choose to perform either laparoscopic surgery or open surgery, depending on the type of ovarian cyst that is removed. It is common to perform open surgery on larger cysts.

In laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes a small incision in which to insert a thin tube called a laparoscope. The tube is used to find the cyst and from there, the surgeon is able to remove the cyst.

For large ovarian cyst removal, surgery under general anesthesia may be needed. Patients may experience some pain in the abdomen after surgery. They also may experience such complications as infection or bleeding. It is important to understand that recurrence of ovarian cysts is possible. In a few rare cases, the patient may also experience infertility and blood clots.

If ovarian cancer is not detected during the surgery, it is highly unlikely that the patient will suffer any complications. Full recovery is expected within weeks after the surgery. On the other hand, if ovarian cancer is detected, then the patient may have to have one or both ovaries removed either during the surgery or in another surgery. Treatment of ovarian cancer would need to follow.

After the removal of an ovarian cyst, it is important to contact your doctor if you experience fever or chills, excessive pain or bleeding, shortness of breath, headaches, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal swelling, vomiting, or any other signs of ill health. An ovarian cyst removal, like all other surgeries, must be closely monitored post-surgery but should have no complications.

Although the existence of ovarian cyst symptoms alone cannot and will not confirm an ovarian cyst, there are certain symptoms that can help point to this diagnosis. Although individually, each symptom may not be a cause for concern, two or more of them in combination should merit prompt medical attention.
One of the symptoms of ovarian cysts is menstrual irregularities which could be painful periods and abnormal bleeding particularly for women with no prior irregularity history. A longer or shorter than normal period, a missing menstruation, or an inconsistent menstruation could also be referred to as menstrual irregularities. Spotting or light bleeding is an apparent symptom of ovarian cyst. Ovarian cyst is also noticed when women experience unexplained weight gain.

Ovarian cysts can cause pelvic pain as a result or the start of menses, intercourse, or strenuous exercise. The symptom can include aching in the thighs and lower back. If the ovarian cyst bursts, bleeds, or twists, or if it grows too large it can cause pain and pressure in the pelvic region and in the abdomen. This can block blood flow to the ovaries and can irritate abdominal tissue.
Pregnancy-like symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, or breast-tenderness is a common ovarian cyst symptom. It is important to note other symptoms in other to make the distinction between a pregnancy and ovarian cyst symptoms. Infertility, itself is a common symptom of ovarian cysts.
There are a good number of signs that point towards the possibility of having ovarian cysts. There might be sudden and random onsets of sharp abdominal pain and a sensation of abdominal heaviness. The woman might also experience abdominal bloating, have difficulty urinating, and sense a feeling of pressure on her bladder or rectum.
Most ovarian cysts almost always go away given the passage of time. However, some ovarian cyst symptoms are severe and require immediate medical attention. This includes sudden and severe pelvic or abdominal pain, pain with fever and vomiting, shortness of breath, and faintness or sudden weakness.
Ovarian cyst symptoms are not clearly and easily detected and their very nature makes it extremely difficult for them to be detected by a general practitioner in a routine examination. Cysts can be detected without the show of any symptoms but in the case of ovarian cysts they are usually detected during a patient’s annual Pap smear rather than because the patient exhibited any symptoms.