Ovarian Cysts Specialist

Ob-Gyne Associates of Lake Forest, Ltd

OB-GYNs & Women's Health located in Lake Forest, IL & Grayslake, IL

Ovarian cysts are common and can be harmless, but they do warrant evaluation and treatment from skilled practitioners. The team at Ob-Gyne Associates of Lake Forest, Ltd. are health experts that can assess your ovaries for cysts and recommend treatment, if necessary, to prevent complications. If you live in the Lake Forest or Grayslake, Illinois, area and are looking to learn more about ovarian cyst management from caring, compassionate, and expert OB/GYNs, phone the friendly, helpful office staff to set up an appointment or request an appointment online.

Ovarian Cysts Q & A

What is an ovarian cyst?

Your ovaries are two almond-sized organs that sit on either side of your uterus. Every month, your ovaries produce follicles that hold and release your eggs. Ovarian cysts can emerge on these organs as fluid-filled sacs. Sometimes the follicles continue to grow and become cysts. Ovarian cysts are quite common and often go undetected. They usually disappear on their own. In some women, however, they cause discomfort or rupture, causing serious complications.

What are the types of ovarian cysts?

Ovarian cysts fall into several categories. These are:

Follicular cysts

These develop when your follicle doesn’t release an egg and continues to grow.

Corpus luteum cysts

The corpus luteum cyst develops once the egg is released and the remaining follicle fills with fluid. The follicular and corpus luteum cysts usually go unnoticed and disappear over a few cycles.

Other types of cysts that are less common include:

Dermoid cysts

A dermoid cyst from embryonic tissue is filled with tissue and may contain teeth and hair.

Cystadenomas

Cystadenomas form on the surface of the ovary and are filled with a mucus-like liquid.

Endometriomas

If you have endometriosis, or irregular growth of your uterine lining, you may form this type of cyst. It’s made up of endometrial tissue that grows outside the uterus and forms a cyst-like structure.

How are ovarian cysts diagnosed?

You may have an ovarian cyst detected at a regular pelvic exam. This may be followed up by a pelvic ultrasound.

A pelvic ultrasound is a noninvasive screening test that uses sound waves to take a picture of your internal organs. The ultrasound gives the doctors a better idea of the size, location, and type of cyst.

What is the treatment for ovarian cysts?

Treatment for ovarian cysts depends on the type and if you’re experiencing symptoms. The doctors often take a watch-and-wait approach to the cyst – if over the course of a few months it grows in size or starts causing symptoms, treatment may be warranted.

If you frequently have cysts, you need hormonal birth control to help prevent their formation.

Large cysts may need to be removed in a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Usually, just the cyst is removed and the ovary left intact, but in some more complicated cases, the entire ovary must be removed.

To get the best in gynecological care for your ovarian cyst, call the office, or schedule an appointment online.

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