An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac that develops on or in the ovaries, the female reproductive organs that produce and store eggs. While many types of ovarian cysts are completely harmless, a growing number of health professionals believe that there may be a connection between some of them and ovarian cancer.

The various ovarian cysts can develop in many different ways as they are caused by multiple factors. Following is a list of the most common types.

Types of Ovarian Cysts

Eggs are stored in structures called follicles until they reach maturity and are released. These follicles also produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are responsible for making certain that your ovaries release an egg when it’s time to ovulate.

Sometimes, there may be a hormonal imbalance and the follicle fails to release the egg. When this happens, the follicle may grow abnormally large and develop into a follicular cyst.

A follicular cyst, created in this manner, usually resolves itself without the need for any type of treatment. Unless the cysts cause ovarian torsion, rupture, or press on surrounding tissues, there will normally be no ovarian pain.

Corpus luteum cyst: this type of cyst develops from the corpus luteum, which is the empty follicle sac left in the ovary once an egg is released. In some cases, instead of being absorbed back into the ovary, the corpus luteum becomes sealed off and filled with fluid.

Hemorrhagic cyst: this is a cyst that contains or leaks blood. Hemorrhagic cysts can cause painful burning sensations.

Dermoid cyst: formed from a germ cell that is present in mature ovarian tissue, this is a complex ovarian cyst that contains a variety of solid physical tissues such as hair and teeth. These cysts are capable of causing pain and other symptoms.

Endometrioma: also known as endometrial cysts, these cysts are caused by the growth of uterus-lining tissue on the ovary.

Cystadenoma: a very large cyst that develops from cells on the outer wall of the ovary. Cystadenomas often cause ovarian pain in addition to other problems.

Polycystic ovaries: a chronic condition in which eggs mature but aren’t released from their follicles, causing multiple ovarian cysts to form.

Learning as much as possible about the various types of ovarian cysts and their symptoms will be very beneficial to your ovarian health. Having this knowledge will enable you to find the proper treatment to help your body get relief from ovarian pain quickly and naturally.