Outer or inner growths on the ovary are called ovarian cysts. They could be hard or soft (filled with a liquid). The ovarian cysts is a swelling attached to the ovary which is called a tumor if it is a hard cyst.
Though many women fear cysts because of the feeling that they are cancerous in nature, yet majority are not.
SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS OF OVARIAN CYSTS
Ovarian cysts are said to be active or inactive. They are active when they are producing hormones whereas they are said to be inactive cysts when they cannot produce hormones.
The active cysts are of two classes. The first type is called masculinizing cysts while the other is feminizing cysts. Masculinizing cysts are active cysts that produce male hormones while feminizing cysts produce female hormones.
The symptoms of cysts depend on the class and they are as follows:
Active Cysts (Masculinizing): Masculinizing cysts produce male hormones and women having this type of cysts tend to develop some male characteristics, for instance, they develop a thick voice, they grow more hairs and their clitoris grows bigger. Some ladies who have not reached menopause would experience a cessation of their monthly period.
Active Cysts (Feminizing): This type makes women to have extended female characteristics. Women who have reached menopause most times begin to bleed again while the girls who have not reached the age of puberty may experience early onset of menstruation. Breast enlargement and development of body hairs begin earlier too.
Inactive Cysts: They are inactive and so produce no hormones. They usually have no symptoms and can occur unnoticed for a lifetime unless they grow so big. When they become so big, they can put pressure on the bowel or the bladder but it all has to do with where they are located. They can cause you to urinate or visit the toilet more frequently. Also large cysts can cause stomach irritations and also cause inconveniences during sex.