Ovarian cyst

Ovarian cyst is a sac-like structure inside the ovary that is filled with fluid, gas, or semi solid substances. It can vary in size from a tiny structure that can only be detected under a microscope up to a size that can already displace normal organs.

Ovarian cyst develops depending on:

1. Age (child-bearing years)
2. Hormone levels
3. Genetic predisposition
4. Underlying disease (inflammatory conditions)
5. Presence of infection

Ovarian Cyst Pain

Ovarian cyst pain is a common condition affecting women that inflicts distinct agonizing pain. There are two sides to this, good thing about this is that ovarian cyst is almost always benign and does not become malignant but bad thing is, no matter how small cysts are, they can cause a great amount of pain to women.

Causes of Ovarian Cyst Pain

There are various reasons why an ovarian cyst causes pain.

Functional cysts

During the menstrual cycle, a follicle, where the egg cell resides develops inside the ovary. Every month, the egg is released and the follicle is left behind and becomes corpus luteum.

Follicular cyst

This kind of cyst forms when ovulation did not occur or when the follicle failed the release the egg on that specific month, the fluid stays inside the follicle and may form a cyst. When the cyst ruptures it will cause an unbearable pain on the side of the ovary where the cyst appeared. This sharp pain also called mittelschmerz occurs during ovulation. This type of pain disappears by itself within a few months.

Corpus luteum cyst

A type of functional cyst that occur after the egg is already been released from the follicle. The follicle which is left behind will become corpus luteum. If pregnancy does not occur, corpus luteum ruptures and disappears. However, in some cases, it will be filled with fluid or blood and stays inside the ovary. No other associated symptoms, just mild pain.

Ovarian cyst pain can happen because of some predisposing factors such as:

1. Previous ovarian cyst
2. Irregular menstrual cycle
3. Obese
4. Early menarche
5. Infertility
6. Hypothyroidism
7. Hormonal disequilibrium

Ovarian Cyst Pain Symptoms

An ovarian cyst will cause pain if it is:

1. Grew large
2. Ruptured
3. Smacked during sexual intercourse

Symptoms:

1. Swelling of abdomen
2. Nausea and Vomiting
3. Pressure during urination
4. Pelvic pain before and after a menstrual period
5. Pelvic Pain during intercourse
6. Pelvic pain during movement
7. Pelvic pain during bowel elimination
8. Vaginal pain

Ovarian Cyst Pain Diagnosis

Ovarian cyst can be suspected even just after a physical examination. Other diagnostic tests are done to confirm the presence of the cyst.

1. Ultrasound
2. CT scan
3. MRI
4. Doppler flow studies
5. Blood tests
6. Ca-125, this is done just to rule out cancer to women who reached their menopausal stage
7. Hormone levels
8. Serum HCG

Ovarian Cyst Pain Management (Treatment)

There are many available treatments to alleviate ovarian cyst pain. Although ovarian cyst is not a serious disease it greatly affects the productivity of a woman so immediate relief is crucial.

Pain relievers

Pain relievers are convenient and efficient in providing instant relief for a few hours. Many women resort to this since ovarian cyst pain hamper activities that should be done. However, this is jut temporary management to the existing condition. Examples of pain relievers that can be used are non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen or narcotic pain medications (by prescription).

Heating pad

Heat is one of the most widely used natural vasodilators because of its effectiveness and convenience. Women can use heat by having a hot bath or putting a hot water bottle to affected area for as much as tolerated will aid in relaxation and relief of pain.

Natural methods

It is known that ovarian cyst is caused by hormonal changes and insulin imbalance. In natural remedy for this kind of pain, a holistic approach is utilized. Hormones are kept to a normal levels and insulin in the body is maintained balanced. Also, symptoms are treated holistically rather than isolating and treating each of them. This method is believed to prevent and even eliminate the possibility of developing another cyst.

If all these do not alleviate the condition at hand or the pain is already severe, the last option doctors suggest is surgery. In cases of ovarian cyst rupture or torsion, surgery is inevitable. This will surely eliminate the existing ovarian cyst but it does not prevent re-growth.

Laparoscopic surgery

A laparoscopic surgery is a non-invasive procedure that uses a thin scope (laparoscope) that can pass into the abdomen. The cyst is identified through the scope and another would remove the cyst or just take a sample for laboratory testing.

Laparotomy

This is an invasive procedure in which makes an incision through the abdomen to remove the cyst. This is done under spinal anesthesia.

Ovarian Cyst Pain Complications

Ovarian cyst usually resolves by itself even without treatment. It is not a serious condition that could cause grave complications but there are still rare cases that occur like cyst that:

1. Bleeds
2. Ruptures
3. Show signs of malignancy that could be cancer
4. torsion

What is Lipodermatosclerosis?

Lipodermatosclerosis is abbreviated with LDS and is otherwise called as Sclerosing panniculitis, stasis panniculitis, hypodermitis sclerodermiformis, and chronic panniculitis that have changes in the lipomembranous system. It is a kind of disease that affects the connective tissues as well as the skin. It is also a kind of panniculitis which is located in the lower extremity which deals with the inflammation that involves in the fatty layer which is located beneath the person’s epidermis portion.

Other experts would define it as a medical disease condition that deals with the skin’s thickening especially at the lower leg portion, particularly the skin located above the person’s ankles, which may be due to longer periods of venous pressure or in layman’s term as pressure from the person’s veins. It is a term that really means the actual scarring of the person’s fat and skin which is the reason why it is described as a connective tissue and skin disorder. Aside from that, person who often encounters this non-contagious problem are women who are in their middle age years.

Redness and Swelling of the affected area

Image Source: veinsveinsveins.com

Lipodermatosclerosis Symptoms

Persons with Lipodermatosclerosis will encounter the following symptoms related to the disease condition such as:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling
• Hardening of the skin
• Pigmentation of the skin is increased or changed for instance from tan to having a reddish brown skin pigmentation
• Bowling pin or inverted bottle of champagne
• Varicosity of the veins
• Ulcers found in the legs
• Atrophic blanche or having whitish small scarred areas of the skin
• Edema

Ulcer found in leg

Image Source: saarbogen.dk

Lipodermatosclerosis Pathology

When Lipodermatosclerosis happens to the person, the venous valves which normally prevent the blood to backflow will encounter backflow periods from the superficial to deep and distal to proximal veins. In addition to that, the valves which are now incompetent due to the progression of the disease condition will allow more blood to backflow especially when the legs relax which then results to hypertension in the distal portion of the veins and which will later be the causative factor for having chronic venous insufficiency disorder.

Lipodermatosclerosis Diagnosis

The physician usually diagnoses persons with Lipodermatosclerosis by letting them undergo test such as:

• Physical examination
• Medical history examination
• Skin biopsy ( which is not really done in routine)
• Dermatopathology
• Histology test
• Ultrasound test
• MRI or magnetic resonance imaging tests
• Coagulation tests or examination

The Dermatopathology will give the insight of the changes during the disease process which mainly affects the fats of the person which will greatly depend on the disease’s stage. Different stages will show different results. Histology, on the other hand, correlates the early and late stages. Lastly, imaging test are done to be able to know the disease’s extent and whether to be able to know if the person is a candidate for surgery of the veins or also called as vascular surgery.

Lipodermatosclerosis Treatment

Patients with Lipodermatosclerosis are required to undergo treatment especially during the earlier stage before it gets worse. The treatment suggested may be either:

Reduction of weight

here is a need for the person to reduce weight so as not to compress further his or her veins which may produce further problems and symptoms in the long run.

Therapy for compression

This is the primary solution for patients with Lipodermatosclerosis

Therapy for ultrasound

Patients with this disease, as mentioned earlier, are required to undergo ultrasound therapies in the leg area to determine the status or the progression of the disease condition. Through such therapies the physician and the patient will note the sound of the valves in the person’s legs. It will determine if the valves are functioning properly or abnormally.

Pharmacological treatments such as:

• Fibrinolytic drugs like stanozolol
• Capsaicin which is needed for pain reduction
• Pentoxyfylline which is used to increase the flow of the blood
• Horse chestnut extract which has good effect for patients with Lipodermatosclerosis
• Intralesional triamcinolone may also be used

Vascular surgery such as:

• Sclerotherapy

This kind of surgical procedure is done to abolish the abnormal veins such as spider veins and varicose veins that the patient has. It involves the injection of the solution that is injected direct to the patient’s vein. What happens is that the solution will irritate the blood vessel lining which will then result to sticking together and swelling and then makes the blood to form clots. It is an effective treatment that has been proven ever since the year 1930. Prior to this kind of treatment, the physician needs to evaluate the patient if she or he can be a candidate for this kind of procedure.

• Endovenous kind of laser ablation

It is otherwise termed as EVLA which is a procedure that is minimally invasive in its kind and which is done for the treatment for patients with varicose veins. The difference of Sclerotherapy with this kind of treatment is that it uses laser, which is much costly. What happens is that through the use of the laser the blood vessel lining will be damaged and will result to disappearance. It is a fast procedure which will only take for about a maximum of 30 minutes. This is one of the options that the patient chooses for it offers easy and quick treatment for their varicose symptom. Aside from that it also increase the person’s self esteem as well as a relief from the discomfort brought about by the disease condition and also a reduction of the risk for the development of stasis ulcer.

The goal of the treatment for patients with Lipodermatosclerosis is to be able to reduce or manage symptoms that the person manifests. In addition to that, it is best that you should maintain an open communication with your doctor or your dermatologist to be able to note the progression of the disease and the effect of the treatment given. The best treatment will vary for one person to another. It is advices that you talk to your doctor as soon as possible.