The causes of ovarian cysts are numerous. Every month during a typical menstrual cycle, the ovaries produce follicles which resemble cysts in structure. The follicles produce the estrogen and progesterone hormones that may be necessary during pregnancy. Common causes of ovarian cysts occurs when a follicle keeps growing beyond its normal time period and becomes an cyst.

Follicular cysts are among the most usual to occur. These cysts will have no obvious symptoms. They are generally considered to be harmless and disappear of their own accord. Ovarian cysts affecting the follicle are caused by the release of hormones from the pituitary gland that is supposed to initiate the release of an egg. A failure to release an egg makes the follicle continue to grow and develop into a cyst.

Frequent causes of ovarian cysts occur when luteinizing hormones surge and an egg is released. When the egg is released, estrogen and progesterone are created by the ruptured follicle to prepare for the hypothetical conception. When the egg is sealed off, fluid accumulates inside the follicle and becomes what is called a corpus luteum. The corpus luteum will then expand and at that point becomes a cyst.

A corpus luteum cyst will typically disappear on its own without any treatment, although it could grow to 4 inches in diameter during just a period of a few weeks. It could also bleed internally or twist an ovary. If the corpus luteum cyst ruptures this can cause internal bleeding in addition to sudden sharp or severe pain.

The drug clomiphene citrate is a fertility drug that works to induce ovulation, and might in itself, be among the causes of ovarian cysts. Clomiphene citrate is in fact known to increase the risk of developing a corpus luteum cyst (which does not prevent or threaten pregnancy), and therefore probably causes other cysts as well.

Ovarian cysts containing blood, known as hemorrhagic or endometrioid cysts, form in the same way. The presence of blood might have been the result of an injury or from leakage of surrounding blood vessels through to the egg sac. When causes of ovarian cysts from bleeding and shedding of endometrial tissue occurs in the ovaries, painful cysts may form. If left to continue, the pooling blood may rupture causing pelvic pain.

While you can’t prevent the actual causes of ovarian cysts from occurring as they are part of the normal functioning of the body, you can limit the impact that ovarian cysts can have on your health. Certain common sense steps should be followed to improve your general health. Things like increasing exercise, controlling stress, improving your diet, and regular checkups with your gynecologist can all help reduce the chances of developing ovarian cysts.

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