It is not uncommon for an ovarian cyst to burst. This is obviously the cause of much concern for women that have this condition. so this article will cover what happens when an ovarian cyst bursts.
Upon the bursting of an ovarian cyst, a woman will experience severe pain usually radiating from the lower abdomen and pelvic area. The level and intensity of the pain can vary from individual to individual depending on what happens when the cyst bursts. Such factors include, but are not limited to the following: Was the cyst infected? Was there any bleeding? What did the cyst contain?
Any individual who feels the pain that occurs from a burst ovarian cyst may need to go straight to the emergency room so it can be cared for properly. The peritoneum, or lining of the peritoneal cavity, becomes irritated, which causes this acute pain in the abdomen. The contents of the cyst can irritate the peritoneum, as can blood. A woman with ovarian cysts can also experience pain, either directly or indirectly, due to inflammation caused by a higher concentration of prostaglandins.
There are some superficial similarities between the regular follicle ruptures associated with the release of an egg during a normal menstruation cycle and what happens when an ovarian cyst bursts. However, the actual differences are more substantial. The release of an egg normally causes very little pain or bleeding. An ovarian cyst that bursts usually causes considerable pain and because ovarian cysts are much larger than eggs - up to 5 to 10 cm in diameter - a larger amount of bleeding can result.
What happens when an ovarian cyst bursts is that fluid is released and can cause significant bleeding as a result of the presence of many nearby blood vessels. Ten ml of blood is enough to irritate the peritoneum because it has so many nerve endings. This causes severe pain in women with ovarian cysts. In comparison, a blood donor may take 5 to 20 ml of blood and feel no real pain except for the prick of the needle. The peritoneum is known to be very tender.
The normal outcome of an ovarian cyst is that it resolves by itself and does not actually burst. If it does not burst, the fluid is reabsorbed which causes the cyst to be reduced and eventually collapse on itself. Thus you can expect a cyst to simply disappear after a few menstrual cycles have passed.
Clearly, what happens when an ovarian cyst bursts is a cause for concern and distress among women with ovarian cysts. However, it should be pointed out that the pain that follows the bursting of an ovarian cyst is unlikely to be life threatening. even so, a burst ovarian cyst must be treated by a doctor at a hospital as soon as it occurs or you suspect that it might have happened.