What is Cyst?
Cyst is a sack-like pocket with membrane tissues which may appear in any part of your body. It can be filled with fluid, air, puss or any other things. Different types of cysts can be noticed among the people. Cyst can appear most frequently in the skin, ovaries, breasts or kidneys. It can also appear in vagina, cervix, knees, wrist and most of the cysts are not cancerous. Cysts grow slowly in size and may go away on their own or they may need to be drained/Surgically removed if they cause any serious health issues.
What causes a cyst to form?
Before knowing about the different types of cysts lets understand how do cysts form and what causes it to form in our body. A cyst can form as a result of an infection, impact injury or because of genetic conditions. Only your doctor can tell you the exact reason and assist you whether it needs to be removed or not.
How to know if you have a cyst?
There are different types of cysts, hence it is quite obvious that they can have different signs and symptoms when they form. Cyst can appear as a bump or like a small lump on your skin with a dark plug through which you might be able to squeeze out the puss and it can be like a pea size. If it gets infected then it becomes tender, sore and red. Some cysts also can grow deep inside your body where you can’t feel them.
If you feel a smooth movable round shape lump in your breast and it is becoming larger day by day and causing you pain then it can be signs of a cyst.
If you are seeing swelling behind the knees and causing you knee pain and inability to fully flex the knees then this might be the signs of cyst.
Blood in urine, high blood pressure, back and side pain with headache can be some signs of cyst in the kidney.
Nowadays, many women suffer from ovarian cysts so if you are feeling Pelvic pain, pain during sex, heavy or irregular periods or bloating and swelling in tummy then doctor’s consultation must be needed because they are also the signs of cyst.
Pain in the buttocks, weakness in muscles, loss of reflexes, changes in bowel function, feeling difficulty to sit for long hours are the signs of perineural cyst.
Different types of cysts
Most common location of the cyst is underneath your skin. There are different types of cysts which can appear underneath your skin in different body parts. Those are:
Epidermoid Cyst
It’s a small, slow growing cyst which can be found on the neck, face, head, back, trunk and genitals. This kind of cysts form when surface skin cells move into the skin and multiply. The cells form the cyst wall and secrete a soft yellowish substance called keratin. Squeezing out the content of the cysts can cause infection or it can give you scar around the cyst so, it’s better to leave the cyst alone.
Sebaceous Cyst
This kind of cyst forms inside the skin. When normal gland secretion becomes trapped they develop a pouch with thick yellowish substance. Sebaceous cysts can be found on the face, scalp, neck or torso. It usually forms because of trauma or damage to the sebaceous glands such as cuts or surgical wounds. Sebaceous cysts are also noncancerous and very slow growing.
Pilonidal Cyst
It’s a common skin condition which forms near to the tailbone at the top of the buttock. Generally Pilonidal cyst forms because of a combination of changing hormones, hair growth or from friction of clothes. People who sit for long periods of time are at higher risk of developing this kind of cysts. Pilonidal cyst can be painful if it becomes infected. It consists of fluid or pus.
Pilar Cyst
It’s a flesh colored lump and it usually appears on the scalp, face or neck. Pilar cyst generally forms because of protein build up in the hair follicle. This kind of cyst is also slow growing but it can grow to a large extent.
Mucous Cyst
It’s a non-cancerous clear or pinkish fluid filled cyst which develops inside the lips or mouth. It appears when the mouth salivary gland becomes clogged with mucus. Mucous cyst caused by trauma to the oral cavity, such as lip biting, piercing and salivary gland disruption. It often goes away without treatment.
Chalazion Cyst
Chalazion cyst also called eyelid cyst. It forms when an oil gland becomes blocked. It can appear both in the upper and lower eyelid.
Cystic Acne
It’s the most severe type of acne. Cystic acne is caused by a combination of hormonal changes, bacteria, oil and dry skin cells which get trapped in your pores. They can develop on the face, chest, back and arm. They can be red or skin colored depending upon your skin tone. Cystic acne doesn’t go away on its own, it requires treatment from a doctor.
Ganglion Cyst
Ganglion cyst are round or oval shaped gel filled lump which appear along tendons or joints of wrists or hands. It also can appear in ankles and feet. These kinds of cysts are harmless and don’t cause you pain unless it grows and puts pressure on the structure. It can affect joint movements. Ganglion cyst appears when fluid leaks-out of a joint.
Breast Cyst
Fluid filled round or oval shape movable sacks inside the breast are called breast cyst. It can develop either one or both breasts and one can have more than one breast cyst which is normal. Breasts have many lobules (Milk producing glands) and ducts. This has been noticed that sometimes those milk glands get filled up with fluids and these are called breast cyst. Normal breast tissue often feels lumpy but if you feel any new lump which is getting bigger day by day then you should consult with your doctor. This type of cyst can be found at any age of a woman before menopause because after menopause oestrogen level falls and cyst usually stops forming but it can occur after menopause in those women who take hormone therapy.
Breast cyst does not require treatment unless it becomes large, painful and uncomfortable. Breast cysts are also non-cancerous and do not not increase the chances of breast cancer.
Ovarian Cyst
Ovarian cysts are fluid filled sacs which appear in the ovary or on its surface. They are harmless and most cysts go away on its own within a few months and it also can be asymptomatic. However if not treated well then this can cause you some serious complications. As per NCBI worldwide, approximately 7% of women have an ovarian cyst at some point in their lives.
In some cases Ovarian Cysts can be caused by some hormonal imbalance suh as PCOS. In some women ovaries make many small cysts, these are called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Sometimes ovaries also produce immature or partially mature eggs in large numbers and over the time they become cyst, this is called Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD).
Perineural Cyst
It’s a fluid filled sack which appears at the base of the spine. It is also called Tarlov Cyst. Although the cause of Perineural cyst is still unknown, it may develop due to trauma like falls, injuries or heavy exertion. This can cause you pain at your lower back, buttocks and legs. Most of the people have never experienced any symptoms, only 1% of people experienced symptoms of perineural cyst.
Baker’s Cyst
Baker’s cyst is a fluid filled swelling that causes a lump behind the knees. This type of cyst appears due to a problem that affects knee joints such as arthritis or cartilage tear.
Branchial Cleft Cyst
It’s a congenital condition (condition present at birth) in which tissue develops incorrectly on one or both sides of the neck. Sometimes this type of cyst has an opening inside or outside of the skin and fluid may drain out through the opening. Branchial cleft is not dangerous. If you feel a lump or skin tag on the neck, upper shoulder or below the collarbone or fluid is draining from the neck then it can be a branchial cleft cyst.
Bartholin’s Gland Cyst
It’s a vaginal cyst filled with pus or fluid which forms either sides of the vaginal opening. Bartholin glands are two small glands which produce fluid to lubricate the vagina. These glands are part of the female reproductive system. This type of cyst appears when blockage happens at any the opening of Bartholin glands and causes the mucus to build up and form a lump. If the cyst becomes infected then the abscess can form. If you are facing difficulties walking or sitting due to its large size then you should consult with your doctor. Usually, this type of cyst is painless. But it can become tender, swollen or red if it gets infected. Injury, irritation and extra growth of skin in the vulvar area of the vagina are main reasons to form Bartholin cyst.
Nabothian Cyst
It’s a tiny cyst which forms on the surface of the cervix or Cervical canal. Cervix located at the lower end of the womb and top of the vagina. Cervix contains glands and cells which produce mucus. When these glands are covered with skin cells and become clogged, the skin cells plug the glands and form a smooth rounded bump on the cervix which is called Nabothian Cyst. Mostly childbirth, physical trauma around the cervix are main reasons to form this type of cyst. Nabothian cyst doesn’t cause pain, discomfort or any other symptoms but if you have bleeding between your periods, unusual discharge or feeling pelvic pain then you should consult with your doctor.
Kidney Cyst
There are two different types of cysts in the kidney. One is Simple Kidney Cyst and the other one is Polycystic Kidney Disease.
Simple Kidney Cyst
Round shape fluid filled pouch which appears on or in the kidney, they are called Simple Kidney Cyst. Simple kidney cyst usually doesn’t have any symptoms. Doctors can find them through Ultrasound or CT Scan but if it becomes large or gets infected then it may show you some symptoms like fever, pain in upper abdomen, dark urine, blood in your urine or swelling on upper abdomen. In such a scenario you should consult with your doctor. This type of cyst doesn’t affect your kidney function. The Cause of a simple kidney cyst is still unknown.
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
It’s an inherited disorder which appears in your kidneys and then causes your kidney to become larger and lose functionality over time. Polycystic kidney disease can cause you to develop cyst in your liver and other organs. It shows symptoms like high blood pressure, blood in urine, back or side pain, Headaches. As of now there is no cure for this disease but drinking water throughout the day and avoiding caffeine in beverages can slow down the growth of the cyst.
Cysts Rupture Symptoms
Different Types of Cysts have different types of symptoms when they get ruptured. Here are a few symptoms and signs of a ruptured cyst mentioned below:
- Clear or yellow colored Nipple discharge, Breast pain and tenderness are the signs of a ruptured breast cyst.
- If you feel sudden sharp pelvic pain, fever, faintness or dizziness then you should consult with your doctor because these are the signs of ruptured ovarian cysts.
- If baker’s cyst gets raptured then you will feel sharp pain, swelling and redness in your calf.
- If a Nabothian cyst bursts, it releases mucus and a small amount of blood that you may notice as vaginal discharge and it can be smelly too.
- Epidermoid cysts are painless cysts but if it’s raptured or inflamed then it may become swollen, red or painful.
- Pilar cyst can be painful if it ruptures on its own.
Can a cyst cause back pain?
This usually happens when you have a cyst on your kidney or at the base of the spine (Perineural Cyst) but sometimes when the ovarian cyst becomes large, this starts putting pressure on other organs or tissues of your abdomen. This can lead you to discomfort or pain in your back.
How to prevent cyst?
Most of the cysts cannot be prevented but yes you can prevent them from getting infected by stopping yourself from squeezing it to drain its fluid. There are a few exceptions like; those who have ovarian cyst they can prevent another cyst to form by taking doctors prescribed Hormonal Contraceptives.
You can prevent Pilonidal cyst from forming by keeping the affected area clean and dry, and get up more often instead of sitting for long hours.
By keeping the eyelash line clean you can prevent Chalazion Cyst from forming.
Natural remedies for cyst
There are a few natural or home remedies which can reduce the discomfort and pain caused by different types of cysts. However, none of the remedies are proven to remove cyst completely.
Hot Compress
It’s a most effective way to shrink or drain a cyst because it can reduce the thickness of the cyst. First heat up the clean water then damp a clean cloth within the warm water and apply it to the cyst for 20 to 30 minutes and repeat it for a few times every day.
Tea Tree Oil
Some cysts form because of ingrown hair. Ingrown hairs contain bacteria and infection which cause cyst to form. Tea tree oil has antimicrobial properties so it can kill bacteria and reduce the appearance of cysts which are caused by ingrown hair.
Aloe Vera
It has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which can help in pain and irritation caused by cyst. Apply pure Aloe Vera gel directly on the cyst as often as you can. Make sure to check the ingredients list to be sure that you are getting pure aloe.
Castor Oil
Like tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar, it also has antimicrobial properties which are only helpful for cyst caused by bacteria. Put 1 drop of castor oil on your finger and apply it a few times each day.
Honey And Turmeric
Both contain anti-inflammatory properties. By using those they may help you to reduce discomfort caused by cyst. Put the raw honey on the cyst and leave it as it is for a few hours to make it work. Then wash it off.
If you are using turmeric then mix the turmeric with water and make a paste and apply it to the cyst. Remember turmeric may cause skin irritation to some people, so before applying this to the cyst make a patch test by applying it on any other part of the body.
In the case of Ganglion Cyst and Nabothian Cyst Hot compress is the best home remedy. For Bartholin cyst soak yourself in a few inches of warm water in a tub or take a Sitz bath 4 times a day. It can give you comfort from the pain or irritation caused by Bartholin cyst.
How to treat a cyst?
Most of the cysts do not bother you until they become large, infected or ruptured. Initially you can try for the natural remedies to stop the cyst getting ruptured or infected or become larger but if you see that it’s not working for you then in such cases you must need a doctor’s consultation. In most cases doctors either cut out the cyst or push out the junk. Then they inject medicine to reduce the swelling or they do minor surgery to remove the entire cyst. However, in a few cases, doctors also recommend medication.
Cysts are very common diseases nowadays among people and we must gather knowledge about this. There are different types of cysts which may occur within or outside of your skin. So to make you understand about the different types of cysts we have written this article and we have mentioned some natural remedies for them. It is always better to consult with a doctor if you notice any symptoms of cysts because the right treatment at the right time always makes your life better.
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