A majority of ovarian cysts are benign and harmless; most are asymptomatic and resolve on their own. However women should be aware of the symptoms of ruptured ovarian cyst because this condition is problematic and should have a medical professional attend to it immediately.

When do symptoms of ruptured ovarian cyst become visible?

Functional cysts such as follicular cysts and corpus luteum cysts commonly occur in women during their childbearing years. A follicular cyst develops when a follicle is not properly released during ovulation each month and continues to grow inside the ovary. These cysts disappear in a couple of months.

Symptoms of Ruptured Ovarian CystSometimes cysts are formed by fluid collecting in an empty office producing higher amounts of the hormones progesterone and estrogen.

These cysts are known as corpus luteum cysts and these also resolve on their own.

However in some cases ovarian cysts can become very large and this could cause the ovary to twist. This is known as ‘torsion’ of the ovary.

Sometimes the cysts could start to bleed and at times symptoms of ruptured ovarian cyst may be seen although this is rare. These symptoms will typically be even rarer among women who are past menopause since the incidence of ovarian cysts falls drastically with menopause.

What is a ruptured ovarian cyst and what are the risk factors?

When the fluid in the cyst collects the cyst gets bigger. Sometimes it gets so big that it will rupture or burst. The fluid leaks out and causes irritation in the pelvic lining.

The risk factors of experiencing a ruptured ovarian cyst are higher among women who are under fertility treatments. Fertility drugs such as clomiphene can increase the risk of a woman experiencing corpus luteum cysts.

On the other hand being on the pill will decrease the risk of rupture since the incidence of cysts also goes down.

What are symptoms of ruptured ovarian cyst?

The symptoms of ruptured cysts may be similar to that of a cyst; only they may be more pronounced and severe. Pain is the most common symptom of the cyst rupturing. It could be a sharp and piercing sort of pain. If the cyst was already painful, the rupture will increase the pain.

There could be nausea, vomiting, weakness, fainting or dizzy spells that could indicate internal bleeding. These symptoms of ruptured ovarian cyst are serious and should be attended to immediately.

In addition women will have irregular menstrual cycles, or shorter or longer than usual menstrual cycles. There could be mid cycle spotting.

What should you do when you experience symptoms of a ruptured cyst?

The rupture of an ovarian cyst is not always a medical emergency though it should be reported at once and the health professional will monitor the situation closely for a time. When symptoms of ruptured ovarian cyst are reported, the doctor will perform ultrasounds or other diagnostic tests to determine the situation. If the pain doesn’t improve and if the blood count starts to drop, a laparoscopic and/or surgical procedure may be required.