Ovaries are a part of a woman s reproductive system. The primary function of ovaries include producing  ova  or eggs and secreting hormones such as progesterone and estrogen. Cysts are fluid filled sacs that form the ovaries; they usually do not cause any symptom and are not painful.

There are primarily two types of ovarian cysts:

1. Follicle cysts: During a woman s menstrual cycle, the egg develops in a sac known as the follicle. Under normal circumstances, the sac breaks open and releases the egg. When this doesn t happen, fluids start accumulating in the follicle to form a cyst.

2. Corpus luteum cysts: Follicle sacs dissolve after releasing the egg, but in some cases, these sacs remain and the opening of the sacs gets sealed. It again results in fluid accumulation, leading to the formation of corpus luteum cysts.

Symptoms

Usually, cysts do not cause any symptom. If the size of the cysts increases, they may cause symptoms such as stomach pain, pain during bowel movements and sex as well as pelvic floor pain. The breasts may become tender and one may experience rapid breathing. Other symptoms of ovarian cysts are fever, nausea and dizziness. Usually, rupturing of a cyst leads to these symptoms surfacing; hence you would know when exactly to call the doctor.

Treatment

The treatment options for ovarian cysts are:

Laparoscopy: Laparoscopy is carried out if the cysts are small in size. An incision is made close to the navel, through which an instrument is inserted to get rid of the cyst.
Birth control pills: For chronic ovarian cysts, oral contraceptives are prescribed to stop the ovulation process in order to arrest the formation of cysts.
Laparotomy: In case of large cysts, this procedure is recommended. A relatively bigger incision is made in the abdomen, through which the cyst is removed.
Ovarian cysts, if left untreated, can certainly cause infertility. Pre-menopausal women and who suffer from frequent hormonal imbalances in the body are the most vulnerable to this condition.

Ovarian Cysts - 3 Ways it Can Treated

Vaginal cysts are closed packets of fluid, air or pus which develop along the vaginal lining. Vaginal cysts are of many types, and they are usually caused by accumulation of fluids, childbirth-related injuries or non-malignant tumors in the vagina. Usually these cysts do not yield many symptoms, but may cause a little discomfort.

Treatment might not be needed in case of cysts which are tiny. However, larger cysts would definitely warrant medical attention.

Types of Cysts-

The commonly occurring cysts are:

Gartner s Duct Cysts: This duct forms around a woman s reproductive canal during pregnancy and it disappears post childbirth. If the duct remains even after the delivery, it may lead to fluid accumulation, thus resulting in a cyst.

Vaginal Inclusion Cysts: Any injury to the vaginal walls, especially during childbirth or surgery, can lead to vaginal inclusion cysts.

Bartholin s Cyst: Bartholin s gland is situated near the vaginal opening. A flap of skin covering this gland may lead to accumulation of fluid. This fluid accumulation usually leads to a cyst which is called a Bartholin s cyst.

Treatment-

Usually, cysts in the vagina do not require any treatment. Most of the cysts do not grow in size and thus do not cause major problems. A biopsy of the cyst may require in order to rule out chances of cancer. A common treatment for vaginal cysts would be to sit inside a bathtub filled with warm water so that the cyst is allowed to soak in the water. If there are symptoms of infection in the vagina, then antibiotics are required.

If the size of the cyst is large and filled with fluids, then a catheter needs to be inserted into it to drain out the cyst. Usually, the catheter is kept in place for a few weeks before it is removed. A surgical procedure called marsupialization is used in some cases, wherein an incision is made around the affected area and into the cyst in order to drain out its contents.

Surgery to remove the entire cyst may also be recommended to prevent its recurrence.

Vaginal Cysts - Types and Treatment

A breast lump is an enlargement, swell, protuberance or a bump that is different than the breast tissue surrounding it. Breast lumps can appear in men as well as women and they can be benign or malignant. Causes of benign breast lumps are as follows:

Fibroadenosis: Also known as Fibro-cystic breast disease, it is a benign condition that affects the breast. It may affect either of the breasts or both. One of the major symptoms of Fibroadenosis is a breast lump. Usually, the lumpiness disappears after the menstrual cycle is over. Fibroadenosis occurs because the breast tissue doesn t respond well to the hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle.
Fibroadenomas: Fibroadenomas occur because of abnormal response to the hormone oestrogen. The lumps are usually well formed and round, around the milk ducts of the breast. Breast lumps due to Fibroadenomas are called breast mice, because they move around the breast. In some cases, they disappear and in some, they tend enlarge during pregnancy.
Other benign causes of breast lumps are breast abscesses, breast cysts, lipoma (lump of fat), mastitis (infection in the breast tissues), fat necrosis (another name for breast lumps) and intraductal papilloma (benign tumour of the milk ducts in the breast). A breast lump that is firm, well defined and doesn t move around, i.e. it doesn t disappear after your period or pregnancy, may be a result of breast cancer.

Treatment of breast lumps
The treatment of a breast lump depends on its cause. Benign breast lumps usually disappear over time. Otherwise following treatments can be considered as per the doctor s discretion-

Medication: If the breast lumps are painful or increase over time, it is advisable to take medication.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other painkillers like paracetamol
Danazol, Tamoxifen or Bromocriptine are administered to treat breast pain as well
Antibiotics which are administered to cure breast abscesses that are caused due bacterial infections
Limiting the amount of fat in the diet or wearing well fitting bras also reduces the amount of pain due to breast lumps.
Certain types of breast lumps are filled with fluid or pus. This fluid can be drained through a procedure called aspiration or drainage.
A radical way to treat a breast lump is surgery. Many a times, these lumps get bigger and painful and the most effective way to deal with it is to remove it.

Breast Lumps - How Can They Be Treated?

The human body is an intricate mechanism that functions amazingly. And when there is any trouble it does not fail to show signs of trouble, and all we need to do is, to notice it and solve our problems. This is applicable to all types of health issues, including a perianal abscess.

What is Perianal abscess?
Perianal abscess is an extremely painful condition of anal abscess that occurs when one cavity in the anus starts getting filled up with pus. Very often it appears as a painful swelling similar to boil just near the anus. Usually, it appears red in color as well as slightly warm to touch. If the location of the anal abscesses is in the deeper tissue, then it might be less visible and it occurs in people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.

The worst part is that in certain cases, anal abscesses might lead to more painful anal fistulas. Generally, fistulas occur only if the abscesses fail to heal and break open on the skin s surface. Therefore, it is important that the abscess heals properly or else it may lead to intolerable pain and may even require surgery.

Symptoms of Perianal Abscess
The immediately noticeable and probably the most common anal abscess symptom is constant and throbbing pain around the anal area. Swelling accompanies the pain and its rate increases during bowel movements.

Various common signs of Perianal abscess are:

bleeding or rectal discharge
constipation 
fatigue
Swelling or tenderness,
Skin irritation all around the anus.
Patients with deeper abscess might also show symptoms such as chills, fever, malaise, etc. Various reports state that certain people also feel a lump or nodule at their anus s rim. Facing difficulty while urinating might also be experienced by some people affected by perianal abscess.

HOW TO DIAGNOSE PERIANAL ABSCESS?
One must immediately seek medical if they experience any of the above-mentioned signs or symptoms. Clinical evaluation along with digital rectal exam is sufficient for the proper diagnosis. But, in some cases, patients might need other tests to screen for rectal cancer, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease and sexually transmitted infections. Your physician might also suggest a CT scan, an MRI, or an ultrasound.

HOW DO YOU TREAT PERIANAL ABSCESS?
Just after the diagnosis, prompt surgical drainage would be carried out by the doctor before the abscess erupts. A deeper or larger abscess might require hospitalization as well as an anesthesiologist s assistance. In most cases, patients are prescribed certain medications for pain relief just after the procedure. Antibiotics are mainly given to those people who have comparatively weaker immunity or suffer from diabetes.

Know More About Perianal Abscess!

Gastric bypass, one of the weight loss surgeries bring about many changes and alterations (physiological, metabolic, hormonal) in your body. The gastric bypass surgery rearranges the stomach into an upper pouch (the smaller part) and a relatively larger lower part. It is the small pouch that is connected to the small intestine, where the absorption of nutrients and minerals from the ingested food takes place. The surgery plays a significant role in limiting the intake of food. Thus, post-surgery, a person's body reacts differently than it used to before the surgery. Many, if not all, people experience difficulties in coping up with the changes.

Patients are often advised to refrain from alcohol consumption after the gastric bypass surgery. Surprisingly, and quite alarming, cases of alcohol abuse increases post the surgery. According to a survey by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, few people, who had no prior history of alcohol abuse developed one after the weight loss surgery. What triggers the alcohol abuse in some patients is still a debatable issue.

Many patients experience an emotional breakdown, stress, anxiety, and depression after the surgery. People who needed no reason to binge on food are suddenly expected and made to consume a limited quantity of food. Unable to do what they loved doing the most, people look for an alternate solution. As expected, in most cases, alcohol becomes the much-needed solution. What started as a means of distraction gradually becomes an integral part of life. Hormonal changes associated with the surgery can also result in panic attacks, stress, and anxiety.

Incidences of alcohol abuse may also be high in patients who had a history of drinking (regular or occasional) and smoking before the gastric bypass. Under normal circumstances (before the weight loss surgery), there is a partial enzymatic breakdown of the consumed alcohol in the stomach before it passes into the small intestine. However, post-surgery, the small size of the stomach does not facilitate such enzymatic breakdowns. Thus, the alcohol passes into the intestine, where it gets rapidly absorbed. As a result, a person gets into an inebriated state at a faster rate.

It is because of this reason that doctors advise the patients to keep away from alcohol as much as possible after the surgery. To keep away from or reduce the instances of alcohol abuse after the gastric bypass surgery,

Look for healthier and low-calorie food options when you get an urge to eat.
Meditate, go for morning and evening walks. These physical activities act as great stress busters.
If you are feeling low or going through an emotionally low phase, share it with your loved ones. Do not suppress your emotions.
Consult your attending physician in case of any physical discomfort

Alcohol & Gastric Bypass - Can They Be Mixed?

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that is done to remove your uterus. Robotic hysterectomy is a more preferred procedure than open surgeries because:

They cause minimal discomfort.
They have better recovery options.
Loss of blood is minimized
The pain associated with the usual surgical procedures are less compared to other options.
This is one of the best procedures that have been designed after years of research in the field of robotics. It is true that they are safe, but it does not mean that there are immediate recovery options. The bottom line is that it is a procedure to remove the uterus and you have to give due importance to the recovery procedures that come along with such robotic surgeries. Let us have look at them.

Recovery
The recovery period depends on the type of surgery you had and also depends on a case to case basis. However, you might be asked to stay overnight in the hospital for observation. You would be constantly monitored during this period and any complications that might arise are given utmost care.

Pain medications and medicines to prevent infections that might arise due to the surgery are given during this period.
You may experience a light vaginal bleeding for a few days. However, this is normal and will gradually ease out. In case the ovaries are removed, the recovery period is extremely crucial. You will no longer have menstrual periods and your body would immediately start adapting to the menopause cycle.
During this transition, the hormonal changes start to occur and you might be experiencing mood swings and hot flashes. You may also experience periods of night sweats. However, all these factors are common occurrences and your body would gradually adapt to these changes. The exact recovery period can range from a week to about six weeks. During these times, you would be given the following advice:

Take plenty of rest and limit your activities.
Do not lift any weights or do any rigorous tasks during these periods.
Any sorts of sexual intercourse must be avoided till you heal completely. Talk to your doctor about this and get to know more about the recovery options.
Never miss a periodic check-up during these times.
Always take the prescribed medications on time.
There can be some sense of loss of your uterus during this period. For some women, this can mean that they would not be able to bear a child. These are some of the common stress factors that come into play during the recovery period. Watch out for them and get emotional support guidance from the counsellor, if the need arises.

Underwent A Robotic Hysterectomy? Here Are Some Recovery Tips!

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