Treatment of cysts on the ovaries come in many forms, from the drastic to gentle and natural. Because many cysts are completely harmless while some can be downright crippling or even fatal or cancerous, treatments vary widely. In most cases, ovarian cysts are functional cysts, meaning that they develop as part of a woman’s menstrual cycle and then resolve themselves after approximately two periods. Most women do not even realize that they have had a cyst. Treatment of cysts in these cases is not even considered.
Occasionally cysts can cause greater complications, which may lead your doctor to suggest treatment. This is common in cases where cysts block blood supply to the ovaries, cysts are found to be cancerous, continue to grow after two menstrual cycles, or cause serious pain.
Aside from traditional treatment options some women choose holistic approaches, which are becoming more and more common and popular.
Just a few holistic approaches include:
- antioxidants
- herbs, such as blue cohosh, or white peony
- diet alterations
Holistic treatment of cysts is an excellent alternative that will be explored further. Common medical treatments include:
Birth control pills comprised of synthetic estrogen and progesterone to regulate the monthly menstrual cycle. Some doctors may even recommend the continued use of pills without a break. This means that you may be asked to skip the sugar pills that would normally be taken for a week while you had your period.
The reason for this is because ovarian cysts can’t form if you aren’t releasing eggs from the ovaries.
Many women have a problem with the idea of continually taking birth control medication or are unhappy with the side effects that result. For this reason holistic approaches are a great alternative.
A cystectomy is the medical treatment of cysts in which doctors surgically remove part or all of the bladder, gallbladder or any cyst in the pelvic area. This is a drastic form of treatment that many women do not like to resort to however a benefit is that the ovaries are left intact so conception is still possible.
Other treatments include ovariotomy or orchiectomy, a surgical procedure where physicians remove one or both ovaries. These are permanently altering surgeries that are generally only used when ovarian cancer is suspected or confirmed.
The aforementioned treatments are all associated with a level of risk, be it the risk of side effects or serious medical complications. Many women are so used to the pain and aggravation that they are willing to continue to tolerate cyst symptoms rather than risk these treatments.
For this reason holistic treatments offer a great hope as they come risk free and can be preformed in the home with absolutely no threat to fertility and no worry of bringing about more serious health complications. Cost is a major factor with surgical treatments and medication. For many women taking a prescription for decades or undergoing pricey surgery and then the recovery time is simply not feasible.
