Two days before, TV host Anusha Dandekar revealed on the social media platform, Instagram, about her health condition. In a long post, Anusha has written about undergoing surgery in the ovary. "...went through a surgery for a lump in my ovary, the recovery has been pretty intense but also I’m really lucky all was okay… found a few more lumps while they were there, again super lucky everything Is great now…"
"Just wanted to tell all the girls that are here reading this, to make sure you visit your Gynaecologist once a year without fail to stay ahead of your health and safety, I’ve been doing that since I was 17 and that’s how I can be so grateful I’m recovering well today," she writes. She has thanked her doctors and the hospital.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtY06RwS0C3/https://www.instagram.com/p/CtY06RwS0C3/
What does a lump on the ovary mean?
A lump in the ovary means an ovarian cyst. A cyst is basically a fluid-filled sac and in ovarian cyst it forms inside the ovary. The prevalence of ovarian cysts is very common and many women do not show symptoms of it as in their case it comes and goes away on its own without any treatment. Cysts can affect one ovary or both ovaries at the same time.
"Cyst can form anywhere in and nearby the ovaries, and it is usually termed as ovarian lump. An ovarian lump is growth of any mass in the ovary, that provides a feeling of a lump. In some cases it becomes so distinguished that one can physically feel it through their abdomen. These lumps can be benign or malignant, but any symptoms of lumps should never be ignored and one must immediately consult their doctors at the earliest," explains Dr Anjali Kumar - Director-Obstetrics & Gynaecology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.
Can you feel an ovarian lump? What are the symptoms?
Yes, some women can feel the ovarian cyst. The symptoms of ovarian cyst are felt when it ruptures or is in a bigger size. Sometimes the cyst blocks the supply of blood to the ovaries. The typical pain associated with the ovarian cyst are pain in the pelvis, pain during sex, difficulty in emptying the bowels, an urge to urinate frequently, feeling bloated and full, and having irregular periods.
Is it life-threatening?
Depending on the kind of lump, either it is benign or malignant. If one has a benign lump, most often it is not life threatening while malignant lumps need immediate medical intervention. In either case one need to be vigilant and visit to the doctor for early detection and timely treatment, Dr Kumar says.
While in general, these are not life-threatening, but when they rupture it becomes an emergency. Upon rupture it can start sepsis, when the blood supply is cut off to the ovaries it leads to a condition called ovarian torsion in which the ovary twists over the ligaments that support it. It also causes endometriosis which is a condition in which the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside of it.
What are the risks?
"The associated risk with ovarian lumps include ovarian torsion, which can elevate the risk of bleeding from the cyst, and this can be painful. Ovarian lumps also increase the risk of infection and puts pressure on the adjacent organs, and if it is diagnosed to be malignant, then there is a sure shot risk of its spread to any part of the body," says Dr Kumar.
An ovarian cyst, that has grown to a bigger size or has ruptured can cause sepsis, which would require the complete drainage of the cyst through surgery. It causes regular discomforts like sharp pain in the lower abdomen or back, unexplainable vaginal spotting, bloating, fever or dizziness.
One should get immediate help when there is pain without any other reason or else when one feels cold with shortness of breath all of a sudden.
