Symptoms Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts Most ovarian cysts are small and don’t cause symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b8979a1b-aac9-46b7-b35c-de7fa88dfeae If you have symptoms, they may include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298e430f88-392e-454a-b9f3-ebd84ed94e4ae60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629480797ed-1da8-43d9-8026-7df71dc4dc7ae60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762994aa86af-95eb-441a-8007-c0410de05149 Pressure in your abdomen Bloating or a feeling of fullness Swelling Lower abdominal pain (sharp or dull, and it may come and go) on the side with the cyst Less common symptoms include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629561e86a4-db33-46e7-9d7b-ff8e5e3fe178e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cf8363e0-9e27-4d5e-8f3d-e0a7c48f41bfe60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ff8243eb-8249-45a3-927c-ff7d8143691a Pelvic pain Dull ache in your lower back and thighs Pain during sex Pain during your period or irregular periods Unusual vaginal bleeding Unexplained weight gain Breast tenderness Frequent urination Problems emptying your bladder or bowel completely If the cyst has ruptured, symptoms may include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a06b4811-beaa-4668-9cca-dce5aedfa9b5e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a7b4bb73-6363-40fe-a55e-bad3eeb76c75 Sudden, severe pain Vaginal bleeding Nausea or vomiting Bloating or fullness in the abdomen Pressure or aching in the abdomen If you experience these symptoms, get medical help right away.
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs in the ovary. They are common and usually form during ovulation.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762992901b2c-ddfc-432c-9879-30bb79ab63f3 Cysts on the ovaries can occur at any age but mostly happen during the reproductive years.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762941e50a83-a405-47ad-85e4-291ea35462a3 Many cysts are small, asymptomatic, and benign, and they resolve without treatment.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c0123454-0bdd-4d5b-8cbc-cd2a9f3b70f9 In some instances, though, a cyst can cause symptoms, especially if it ruptures or grows larger. These cysts require medical intervention, including surgical removal of the cyst or even the ovary.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b5a107dc-b368-40f8-9fca-702f39432bcbe60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298e181d88-66a5-4965-8fb8-205740cc86c9
Prevention Prevention of Ovarian Cysts If you are ovulating, you cannot prevent functional ovarian cysts. But if you regularly develop cysts, your doctor may prescribe hormonal birth control to prevent ovulation, which may lower your chances of developing new cysts.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762990484f8d-779a-475a-9770-f2006cc52a99 Regular pelvic exams can help detect changes in your ovaries (though for many people, an ultrasound is necessary to identify a cyst).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297b9added-8d65-47d6-872a-ef11703c1759
Complications Complications of Ovarian Cysts Although infrequent, some complications associated with ovarian cysts include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762945af0484-3aa5-4a46-8761-ed6534e1805b Ovarian Torsion A painful twisting of an ovary, ovarian torsion can occur when enlarged cysts cause the ovary to twist around itself. Symptoms can include an abrupt onset of severe pelvic pain, nausea, and vomiting. Ovarian torsion is a medical emergency requiring surgery to untwist or remove the ovary.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e1e5e18d-af6b-4466-a310-a7d05f00f265 Rupture The larger the cyst is, the more likely it is to rupture. Some ruptures cause only mild symptoms that can be managed with pain medication, but in other cases, a ruptured cyst can cause severe pain in the abdomen and bleeding; these symptoms require immediate medical attention.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762944a8214b-1524-40d4-ac24-cd83cd8a6978 Vigorous activity that affects the pelvis, such as vaginal intercourse, increases your risk for rupture.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a1860a25-0dcd-431a-b4a5-5a077f600be7
Diagnosis How Are Ovarian Cysts Diagnosed? A cyst on your ovary can be found during a routine pelvic exam.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297ee73453-ea03-47f7-b88a-2d623431f1c2 Your doctor may recommend any of the following tests to determine the type of cyst you have and the best course of treatment:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296f14e5d6-1185-4f38-8018-c5fd3bb12e8be60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762967ba7a13-719f-464e-90c8-7c167dd845b2 Pregnancy Test If positive, it may suggest that you have a corpus luteum cyst, which is typical during pregnancy. If negative, your doctor will recommend other types of tests. CA 125 Blood Test If the cyst is partially solid and you’re at a high risk of ovarian cancer , your doctor may order this test. Blood levels of a protein called cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) are often elevated in women with ovarian cancer. Noncancerous conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and pelvic inflammatory disease can also cause elevated CA 125 levels. Pelvic Ultrasound Your doctor may use a wand called a transducer to perform a transvaginal ultrasound . This will create images that can confirm the presence of a cyst, help determine its location, and detect whether it’s solid, filled with fluid, or mixed. Laparoscopy With the use of a laparoscope (a long, thin tube with a high-resolution camera attached to the end) inserted through a small incision in your abdomen, your doctor can see your ovaries and sometimes remove the cyst.
Causes Causes and Risk Factors of Ovarian Cysts Your risk of developing an ovarian cyst is increased by:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629afa23665-aec1-42e3-9c4a-0b36ef4a0935e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d02de296-b9a6-4b1d-98ff-7be00a9e53ef Drugs that stimulate ovulation, including the fertility drug clomiphene (Clomid) Pregnancy Underlying conditions such as hormone disorders, endometriosis , and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) , formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) A severe pelvic infection A previous ovarian cyst Editor’s Note: Following a May 2026 global consensus, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is now officially called polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), highlighting the metabolic roots of the condition.
Treatment Treatment and Medication Options for Ovarian Cysts Treatment varies depending on your age, the type and size of the cyst, and your symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299fbeff7b-782f-40bf-9c3c-eab355dcc7f2 Your doctor may want to wait and see if the cyst goes away within a few months. This is typically the go-to option when you have no symptoms and a small, fluid-filled cyst, regardless of your age. Your doctor may also recommend follow-up pelvic ultrasounds at intervals to see if the cyst changes in size.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762959dd2662-1f8c-456a-b12f-6518daf5ea81 Other options include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e4280ce6-aa10-4bc4-91e6-48d15faa0782 Hormonal Contraceptives Birth control pills can keep cysts from recurring, but they won’t shrink an existing cyst. Surgery If the cyst is large, doesn’t look like a functional cyst, is growing, continues through two or three menstrual cycles, or causes pain, your doctor may suggest having it surgically removed. Some cysts can be removed without removing the ovary (ovarian cystectomy), but in other cases, your doctor may suggest that you remove the affected ovary (oophorectomy).
Types Types of Ovarian Cysts Most ovarian cysts develop as a result of your menstrual cycle. These are called functional cysts, and there are two types:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629237d39ca-d671-4fff-b748-31e03d94bdcae60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629eeb1165c-d6f8-4fe6-92fe-3654f5d1c447 Follicular Cyst A structure in the ovaries called a follicle typically releases an egg each month. A follicular cyst develops when the follicle doesn’t rupture and release its egg but instead continues to grow and fills with fluid. Corpus Luteum Cyst After releasing its egg, a follicle typically shrinks and begins producing estrogen and progesterone . It is then called the corpus luteum. But if the opening where the egg came from is blocked, the corpus luteum can fill with fluid. Other nonmenstruation-related cysts include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629659e70c8-f174-4422-8277-5f66d5269a6de60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299b5a055c-4b3c-4c21-8126-564cdbb7ddb2 Dermoid Cysts Also known as teratomas, these cysts form from embryonic cells. So they may contain the same types of tissue that make up hair, skin, and teeth. Cystadenomas These cysts develop on the surface of the ovary and contain a watery or mucouslike fluid. Endometriomas These develop as a result of endometriosis, a condition in which uterine cells grow outside the uterus. This tissue can attach to an ovary to form a cyst. Ovarian Cancer Cysts These are solid masses of cancer cells. Ovarian cancer cysts are most common after menopause.
Prognosis How Long Do Ovarian Cysts Last? Functional ovarian cysts often go away on their own within 8 to 12 weeks. Cysts are more likely to go away in women who are still having periods, and a simple ovarian cyst (fluid-filled) is most likely benign.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e21b6b93-38db-437f-b132-0b53e293f057 Some ovarian cysts may be cancerous. This risk increases with age.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762904228b65-89c8-44b1-85aa-f856b8665d27 Cancerous cysts will likely need to be surgically removed.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762904ba6e8b-c09f-43aa-8abe-a09322b7936b
Resources We Trust Mayo Clinic: Ovarian Cysts and Infertility: A Connection? Cleveland Clinic: Ovarian Cysts Johns Hopkins Medicine: Benign Ovarian Cysts University of Utah Health: Ovarian Cysts: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Office on Women’s Health: Ovarian Cysts
