Other Causes of Ovarian Pain

Ovarian pain can also occur if the ovaries have become swollen for some reason. Usually when a woman has swollen ovaries, she experiences pain during ovulation. This is because of the extra effort it takes for the ovaries to release their eggs. Cysts, hormonal imbalance, raised body temperature and an increase in sexual activity can cause the ovaries to swell. Sometimes women's ovaries become extra sensitive for no apparent reason. When ovaries are overly sensitive, ovulation can often be accompanied by pain.

If you are experiencing chronic pain in your ovaries, it's a good idea to ask your gynecologist for an ultrasound to rule out an enlarged Ovary. There are several treatments to help alleviate pain in the ovaries. Many doctors recommend diet change and taking multivitamin tablets. For those with chronic pain in their ovaries or other pelvic organs there are surgical procedure that can remove cysts, tumors and endometrial tissue.

Ovarian Cysts

Another major reason for a woman to be advised a hysterectomy is the presence of a significant ovarian cyst greater than 5 cm. There are various forms of ovarian cysts many of which are benign or harmless. In fact the ovaries are designed to produce cysts each month during the process of ovulation. Most women's ovaries always contain small cysts that are less than three centimeters in diameter. When Ovarian cysts become complex and grow more than 5cm physicians become concerned about the possibility of cancer. Hysterectomy is not necessary if the cyst is benign. The nature of the cyst can be determined at surgery by frozen section pathological examination. Most often the laparoscopic approach is the preferable approach for cyst removal.

When a woman is ovulating, the ovaries create small cysts filled with a nourishing fluid in which the eggs develop. When an egg is released, these cysts usually burst. The tissue inside the pelvic cavity then absorbs the fluids inside them. After the egg is released another small, more solid cyst forms in the area where the egg used to be.This structure is called the corpus luteum, and serves to nourish the lining of the uterus in preparation for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur then the corpus luteum would normally degenerate and disappear. These small Ovarian Cysts are called functional cysts. They are a completely normal part of the ovulation process.

Dysfunctional Ovarian Cysts

Cysts usually become dysfunctional when they grow larger than four centimeters. There are various different types of cysts that can develop in a woman's ovaries. Women tend to have various different symptoms depending on the size and type of cysts that they have. Many women who have abnormally large cysts in their ovaries are not even aware of it because they have no painful symptoms.

Complex Ovarian Cysts

Complex ovarian cysts are potentially dangerous, in that most malignancies have internal component that make them complex .One type of benign complex cyst is an endometrioma which are often referred to as chocolate cysts.. Endometriomas are usually filled with old blood that has the appearance of chocolate syrup..