Cysts - Treatments - Better Medicine

How are cysts treated?

Many cysts go away on their own. Other cysts must be surgically removed, or the underlying disorder may require medical treatment. Depending on the cause of your cysts, it is important to follow your treatment plan to ensure that you are completely rid of both the cysts and any primary disorder that may have caused them.

Treatment of infectious causes of cysts may include surgical drainage of the infection, antibiotics, or anthelmintic medications. Pain-reliever medications may be used for cysts associated with discomfort. Cysts associated with tumors or cysts that interfere with organ function may require surgical removal.

What are the potential complications of cysts?

Complications of untreated or poorly controlled cysts can be serious, even life threatening in some cases. You can help minimize your risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you. Complications of cysts depend widely on the location and can include:

Encephalitis (inflammation and swelling of the brain due to a viral infection or other causes)
Organ failure
Spread of cancer
Spread of infection

References:

Cyst. Medline Plus, a service of the National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003240.htm. Accessed May 20, 2011.

Ovarian cysts. ACOG American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp075.cfm. Accessed May 20, 2011.

INTRODUCTION

What are cysts?

Cysts are benign sacs that contain fluid, air, or other materials and may form anywhere in the body. As a rule, cysts in the lungs are air-filled, whereas those that form in the skin, lymph system, genitourinary system, or other internal organs are usually fluid-filled. Fluid in cysts may be watery or may contain blood. Cysts can develop in response to vessel blockages, infection, parasiti... Read more about cysts introduction

SYMPTOMS

What are the symptoms of cysts?

Many cysts exhibit no symptoms. A detectable symptom of cysts occurring either on the skin or in tissue near the surface of the body (for example, a breast cyst) is a lump on or beneath the skin that is red, tender, or produces swelling.... Read more about cysts symptoms

CAUSES

What causes cysts?

Cysts can develop in response to blockages of the flow of body fluids, such as clogged sebaceous glands, as seen in acne, or in response to infection or to a long-standing abscess or ingrown hair, as is the case with pilonidal cysts, which are cysts that occur along the crease between the buttocks. Cysts often form around a foreign object, such as a splinter in the skin.... Read more about cysts causes