A cyst is usually a small, asymptomatic and mild lesion. It can occur both outside, among others on the neck, feet, and face or inside the body, most often as a cyst on the ovary or in the breast. Find out about the treatment of cysts.
Cysts , orcysts , can occur throughout the body. Most often they do not cause any symptoms, so in order to detect them, it is necessary to use specialized diagnostics, including Ultrasound, X-ray or computed tomography.
It is worth emphasizing that althoughcystsare pathological changes, they are usually benign and require only observation.
Sometimes they cause diseases such as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) or less often - neoplastic diseases.
However, to be sure what kind of a specific change is, it is worth going to a specialist and finding out if it is necessary to treatcyst .
Cyst - what is it?
Cyst , also calledcyst , is a pathological lesion that can be single or multi-chamber and is always filled with e.g. fluid or more compact, jelly-like content.
Cystsdiffer from each other in their place of occurrence, size, content and type. Some of them are small, only detectable under a microscope, and others so large that they put pressure on organs and impair their functioning.
Cysts may cause discomfort, pressure, and other ailments, or be asymptomatic, depending on the type and size.
Cystscan appear singly, but sometimes they appear in a group in one place.
Most oftencystsare harmless, therefore, although they are pathological changes, they do not always require removal.
As a rule, you get rid of them only when they reach a significant size, cause pain or discomfort, or are harmful to the body.
Where do cysts form? Types of cysts
Cystscan appear anywhere in the body and can be of two types - they are divided into:
- true cysts
- pseudocysts
The first of them are surrounded by epithelial cells, while the second is most often connective tissue. They are often sharedalso oncystscongenital and acquired. They can also be grouped according to their place of occurrence. The most common are:
- ovarian cysts
- breast cysts
- kidney cysts
- liver cysts
- pancreatic cysts
- thyroid cysts
- maxillary and oral cysts (e.g. congestive cysts, maxillary cysts)
- cysts of the face, head and neck (e.g. root, middle and lateral cysts of the neck)
- trunk cysts (e.g. hair cyst)
- arachnoid cysts (so-called arachnoid cysts)
- tendon and joint capsule cysts (e.g. gelatinous cyst and Baker's cyst in the popliteal fossa) and many others
Cyst - causes of formation
Congenital cystsare most often caused by a developmental defect of the fetus or a genetic condition. In turn, acquired cysts most often appear as a result of inflammation.
Mechanical injuries are also a frequent cause of the formation ofcysts . For example, the frequently occurringhemorrhagic cystis a remnant of a Graff's vesicle.
Cystscan also appear in the course of infections and serious diseases, e.g. cancer.
It is worth emphasizing, however, thatcystsvery rarely indicate neoplastic disease and are more often benign.
Cyst - cyst diagnosis
Due to the fact thatcystsare very common on the skin, they can be seen with the naked eye and can also be felt with the fingers of the hand. Then, depending on where exactlycystis located, what symptoms it gives and whether it is troublesome, you should go to a specific specialist, e.g. a dermatologist, ENT specialist, dentist, etc.
Unfortunately,cystsare often found inside the body, so you can find out about them only after performing specialist tests.
Sometimes they are detected accidentally during unrelated diagnostics.
However, when there are symptoms that indicate them, for example, pain in the lower abdomen, menstrual disorders and intermenstrual bleeding, which may indicate a cyst on the ovary, tests such as transvaginal ultrasound or biopsy are performed.
Other diagnostic tests that can detectcystsare:
- Breast ultrasound
- mammography
- RTG
- computed tomography
- magnetic resonance imaging
Cysts can also be detected by Doppler examination, urinalysis and liver function tests.
Cyst - treatment
When the cysts are small in size, nothey cause discomfort and are benign, most often they do not require treatment, but only observation. However, ifcystis cumbersome and large, surgery may be performed.
For example, when there is a congestive cyst in the oral cavity or on the mucosa of the sinuses, the cyst enucleation is performed.
In turn, in people with jaw cysts, the cyst is intussed.
Another way is to catheterize the cyst cavity or puncture it, which allows the contents in it to be drawn off and thus the cyst drained.
It is worth emphasizing, however, that it is impossible to drain cysts related to cancer.
Another method of treatment, for example in the case of cysts on the ovaries, is hormone therapy. When unsuccessful or if the cysts are multiple, they are sometimes removed along with the ovary.
In turn, if it is, for example,cystBaker's cyst, i.e. a cyst located under the knee (rear part of the leg), then when it is large, knee arthroscopy is necessary.
In the case of cysts on the face, facial treatments such as laser therapy, chemical peeling, electrocoagulation and microdermabrasion turn out to be effective methods.
Cysts. Which cysts are most common in women?
In women, the most common cysts are ovarian cysts. Among them, the following stand out:
- simple (serous) cysts
- endometrial cysts (in patients with endometriosis)
- dermatodial (leathery) cysts
They are usually mild, but can also be a sign of ovarian cancer.
To find out what type of cyst it is, what size it is and where it is located, it is necessary to undergo a gynecological examination, ultrasound, and sometimes a laparoscopy or biopsy.
Although ovarian cysts are usually benign changes and after a visit to the gynecologist it turns out that they only require observation, their diagnosis is necessary.
Sometimes they can be a neoplastic lesion, and sometimes they can be associated with the PCOS disease entity, i.e. polycystic ovary syndrome, which requires diagnosis and treatment.
Another type of cyst that often occurs in women is breast cysts. They are usually small, palpable as lumps under the fingers, and appear in women between the ages of 30 and 50. As a rule, they are mild, but due to the risk of neoplastic changes, every woman should see a specialist who will undergo an examination (e.g. a painless ultrasound scan of the breast) to confirm whether the changes are harmless.
A cyst in the knee- what do you need to know about her?
Another commoncystis the Baker's cyst, located under the knee. Usually it is not dangerous, but it is necessary to perform appropriate diagnostics (ultrasound) to exclude pressure on blood vessels and nerves, and thus minimize the risk of their damage.
Usually the cyst disappears on its own, but if it lasts for several months, anti-inflammatory medications are needed to reduce pain, discomfort and swelling.
The next stage of treatment is physiotherapy, but if it does not bring the desired results, it is necessary to drain the fluid inside and thus drain the cyst.
The cyst can also be removed during a short surgical procedure.
Other common cysts
A common type of cyst is the so-called gelatinous cyst. ganglion.Cystmost often appears on the foot, around the wrist, or less commonly on the knee. Most often it is treated by applying pressure or aspiration of the fluid, but if it is a cancerous lesion, a biopsy and its excision are necessary.
Another change that often appears isroot cyst , which occurs in the bones of the mandible or maxilla. The reason for its formation is tooth inflammation, therefore, when it is small, endodontic treatment of the tooth is necessary, and in the case of large cysts - surgery.
An untreated radicular cyst can cause bite disorders, distort the face, and even turn into cancer.
Many patients also have amucocele , which is most often caused by inflammation and occurs on the lower lip, less often on the tongue, palate and the inside of the cheek. In the case of this lesion, it is necessary to undergo surgical treatment by enucleation.
The last common type of cyst is thehair cyst , which manifests as a bladder that forms near the coccyx. Treatment depends on the stage of advancement, but in the case of very troublesome cysts, specialists recommend surgery under local anesthesia.