An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac or pocket on or within an ovary.

Most ovarian cysts are noncancerous (benign) and develop from hormone influences during the menstrual cycle (e.g., follicular or corpus luteum cysts).

However, some may grow abnormally, burst, or cause complications.

While many cysts resolve on their own without symptoms, others can trigger discomfort or health concerns.

Signs of Ovarian Cysts

Now, you will probably associate ovarian cysts with pain in the pelvis or abdomen.

Or with changes to the nature of the menstrual periods. This is quite true.

However, they could also be responsible for specific other symptoms that you may not immediately link to an ovarian cyst.

Even more, those symptoms can also happen in many other conditions.

In the rest of this post, let’s check out 5 symptoms that can occur if you have an ovarian cyst.

Frequent Urination or Urgency

This symptom is most often associated with an infection of the urinary tract or UTI.

You wouldn’t be wrong, especially if there is painful urination as well.

With a UTI, you may also get smelly or cloudy-looking urine.

However, consider this. Thanks to its location in the pelvis, a large ovarian cyst pressing on the bladder can reduce its capacity, causing a frequent need to urinate, even if urine output is minimal.

Because there is no infection in the tract, you would not usually find changes to the urine, (such as a cloudy appearance or smell), unlike what you may get with a UTI.

Bowel Changes (Constipation or Diarrhoea)

Well, either of these symptoms may develop in several different conditions.

Medication side effects, dehydration, and stomach infection are a few problems that can result in either of these conditions.

But again, large cysts may exert pressure on the bowels or rectum, thanks to their size.

The effects of this can be variable.

For instance, they can block the bowels significantly, causing unexpected constipation or discomfort during bowel movements.

Large ovarian cysts can also cause diarrhoea by physically compressing and irritating the bowels.

Or they can release inflammatory/hormonal agents that disrupt bowel movements.

Pain During Intercourse (Dyspareunia)

Most people may not immediately associate painful sex with an ovarian cyst.

Pain during sex could have many causes, such as an infection, hormonal changes, endometriosis, involuntary spasms in the vagina and other issues, as you will find in this video (where we discuss 15 possible causes).

But deep pelvic pain during or after sex can occur if an ovarian cyst is irritated by movement or pressure during sexual intercourse.

Abdominal Bloating or Swelling

This following symptom may seem pretty apparently linked to ovarian cysts, given that they can sometimes grow huge.

However, bloating is often first associated with stomach or bowel-related issues before we consider other organs in the pelvis like the ovaries.

However, persistent bloating or a sensation of fullness—sometimes mistaken for weight gain—can result from an ovarian cyst enlarging the abdomen.

Radiating Pain to Lower Back or Thighs

It is not unusual for problems that begin in the pelvis to create symptoms affecting the lower back or thighs.

This can happen with fibroids, endometriosis and ovarian cysts. The nerve roots that supply the lower legs and back are located within the pelvis.

Their location or the mass or pressure of these lesions on the nerves in these areas is often the cause of pain.

While the initial thoughts may be to link the pain to a musculoskeletal problem, it may also signal an ovarian issue.

Discomfort from the pelvis may radiate to the lower back or upper thighs, mimicking musculoskeletal pain rather than signalling an ovarian issue.

Interpreting Signs of Ovarian Cysts

Making a diagnosis of an ovarian cyst usually involves imaging tests such as an ultrasound scan or MRI.

Experiencing these symptoms or over a prolonged period can indicate an ovarian cyst. Thus, speaking to your doctor to get the necessary tests is important.

Remember that severe symptoms like sudden pelvic pain, fever, or vomiting demand immediate medical attention, as they could signal burst or twisted cysts.

More Reading

• Startling Truths About Ovarian Cysts: Little Known Facts
• Dehydration Symptoms and 11 Surprising Facts You Should Know
• 3 Main Home Remedies – Acute Diarrhoea & Stomach Pain In Adults
• Treating Bowel Related Problems From Covid-19 At Home
• Revealing – 10 Causes of Acute Pelvic Pain In Women

Editing and Disclaimer by  AskAwayHealth Team

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