Ovarian cysts are sacs of fluid
that grow inside or on the ovary. These cysts often go away on their
own, but in rare cases, may become twisted and rupture. If the symptoms
of a ruptured ovarian cyst are present, emergency medical attention
should be sought immediately. Without proper treatment, a ruptured
ovarian cyst can cause bleeding, infection, and other serious
conditions.
Abdominal Pain
According to physicians from the University of Michigan Health System, one of the symptoms of a ruptured ovarian cyst is abdominal pain.
If a cyst becomes twisted, it cuts off its own blood supply, causing
pain and discomfort. Pain may also occur as a result of bleeding of a
ruptured ovarian cyst. This is because the blood irritates the
surrounding tissues. Sandy Jocoy, a registered nurse at the University
of California at San Diego, indicates that the pain of a ruptured cyst
occurs very suddenly and is severe in nature. It occurs in the lower
abdomen and may appear on the left or right side, depending on which
ovary contains the cyst.
Nausea
The
National Institutes of Health cites nausea as one of the symptoms of a
ruptured ovarian cyst. One cause of nausea is the severe abdominal pain
that is caused by a ruptured cyst. Another reason that nausea can
occur is because a ruptured cyst may leak fluid or blood into the
peritoneal cavity. Because nausea can occur with any number of medical
conditions, doctors will use a patient's medical history, physical
examination, laboratory tests and imaging studies to make the diagnosis
of a ruptured ovarian cyst.
Vomiting
Information
from the University of Michigan Health System indicates that vomiting
is another symptom of a ruptured ovarian cyst. This condition can cause
vomiting because of the fluid that leaks from the ruptured cyst. If
the cyst was filled with blood, the blood leaking from the cyst can also
irritate the peritoneal cavity and cause vomiting. Because vomiting
occurs with other conditions such as food poisoning, stomach flu and
vertigo, this symptom alone is not enough to diagnose a ruptured ovarian
cyst. If it occurs with nausea and severe abdominal pain, doctors may
suspect a ruptured cyst and perform a pelvic exam or computerized
tomography (CT) scan in order to make the correct diagnosis.