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What Are the Symptoms of a Fallopian Tube Cyst?

Marlene Garcia
Marlene Garcia

Symptoms of a fallopian tube cyst might include pain in the abdominal region, irregular menstrual cycle, unusual bleeding, or trouble conceiving a child. Most fallopian tube cysts are linked to a condition called endometriosis, which might cause minor or severe pain in the pelvic area or lower back. The pain might appear during sex or when emptying the bowel or bladder. A paraovarian cyst in the fallopian tube usually causes no symptoms unless it bursts.

Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows outside the uterus and attaches to other female reproductive organs. A cyst caused by this condition represents a sac filled with blood growing outside the tubes that carry an egg from the ovary to the uterus for fertilization. This type of cyst might also grow outside the uterus or ovary.

A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the fallopian tubes.
A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the fallopian tubes.

The uterine lining goes through normal stages of thickening and thinning each month. It thickens as a woman ovulates to prepare the womb for conception. If an egg is not fertilized by male sperm, the endometrium thins to shed the lining through menstrual bleeding. When this lining grows outside the uterus and forms a cyst, the fallopian tube cannot handle this process, and blood cannot leave the body.

Most cases of a fallopian tube cyst are discovered during a routine pelvic exam.
Most cases of a fallopian tube cyst are discovered during a routine pelvic exam.

Blood in this type of cyst typically resembles thin chocolate or motor oil, as old blood darkens. Gynecologists usually find this type of cyst during a routine pelvic examination when they apply pressure to the abdomen. It can also be detected by ultrasound devices.

Another kind of fallopian tube cyst is defined as a paraovarian cyst, but actually has nothing to do with the ovary. An undeveloped egg might cause this type of cyst, which usually remains small and might disappear on its own. A paraovarian cyst appears more commonly in women between 30 and 40 years old.

If left untreated, a fallopian tube cyst may result in persistent pain or indicate other health concerns.
If left untreated, a fallopian tube cyst may result in persistent pain or indicate other health concerns.

These fluid-filled cysts are usually benign, with thin walls. They usually cause no symptoms unless they rupture or abscess. If these cysts grow, they can cause pain during intercourse or bowel movements, irregular menstrual cycles, and might lead to infertility. Problematic cysts are usually removed via laparoscopic surgery.

Other disorders of the fallopian tubes can block or damage them, leaving fibroids or scar tissue. Pelvic inflammatory disease represents an infection of the pelvic organs that can block fallopian tubes. This disorder might be caused by sexually transmitted diseases, abortion, miscarriage, or using an intrauterine device to prevent pregnancy.

Discussion Comments

anon966608

I had a paraovarian fallopian cyst. How it was discovered was through an ultrasound after I had complained to my gynecologist about strange pain pressure in my hip-lower left torso area. Sometimes after walking just a few feet, I had to sit down, which immediately made the strange pressure/pain go away. It was not really painful it was just -- not right feeling. It was more of a loss of control, or a a tightening -- along those lines.

The ultrasound showed the cyst was about three centimeters? When/if it got to five centimeters, my doctor wanted to remove it since there was a chance it could strangle itself and then I would need emergency surgery. I had ultrasounds every six months to track the size over a two year period. It slowly was getting bigger, but the strange problem of not being able to use my left leg once in a while stopped after a couple months but I did have a feeling of something being stretched to breaking point like a gum band pulled to its limit. It was not extremely painful (a couple of Tylenol took care of it ). It was just worrisome.

Finally after two years, my gallbladder needed removing, so I opted to have the cyst taken out at same time. The cyst ended up being as big as a lemon. Guess the ultrasounds didn’t get it completely right. If my gall bladder hadn’t needed removing, I probably would have lived with the cyst since it wasn’t very painful, but a gall bladder attack is! They took both gall bladder and cyst out assisted by a robot. They were in and out within four hours. My recovery was a day. I have no issues and only a faint scar -- easy peasy.

Hope my experience helps. I had a hard time finding information on paraovarian cysts. Oh -- and of course, the gall bladder needing removing and the cyst have no connection. I was just lucky!

anon347761

Can x-ray be used to examine fallopian tube cyst/ovary cyst, and what is the effect if used? Can it cause infertility?

KoiwiGal

@irontoenail - I don't know, I think they usually take off cysts in that area if they can. I had a friend who developed a large cyst in her fallopian tube a few years ago and she had to have it removed in surgery. It was really large though, so maybe it was just because of that.

I've got polycystic ovarian syndrome already, so I have to try and be hyper-vigilant about my health, since many of the symptoms of wayward cysts are things I just have to live with every day.

Medication can help, but woman's bodies seem to be as much a mystery to doctors as they are to most men!

irontoenail

@pastanaga - Unfortunately, they won't always be able to fix it, even if they do figure out what's wrong. A cyst on the fallopian tube, for example, may just have to resolve itself.

It is definitely good to have a doctor keep an eye on you though, whether they can do anything or not. If you don't monitor that kind of thing, it can easily blow out of control and you can end up seriously ill or lose your fertility as a result.

pastanaga

This kind of condition is why women need to be proactive when it comes to their reproductive (and general) health. I know all too many women who think that because they had the bad luck to be born female, they just have to suffer through severe pain and heavy bleeding every month.

It's just not true. There shouldn't be much, if any real pain and you should be able to continue with your daily life, not because you're strong, but because you don't have a burden to bear.

If you are having trouble, go and get checked out by a doctor and keep bugging him or her until they figure out what is wrong.

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    • A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the fallopian tubes.
      By: Alila
      A diagram of the female reproductive system, including the fallopian tubes.
    • Most cases of a fallopian tube cyst are discovered during a routine pelvic exam.
      By: Zsolnai Gergely
      Most cases of a fallopian tube cyst are discovered during a routine pelvic exam.
    • If left untreated, a fallopian tube cyst may result in persistent pain or indicate other health concerns.
      By: Alliance
      If left untreated, a fallopian tube cyst may result in persistent pain or indicate other health concerns.
    • Endometriosis may lead a woman to develop a fallopian tube cyst.
      By: ryanking999
      Endometriosis may lead a woman to develop a fallopian tube cyst.
    • The thickness of the endometrium changes along with the female's menstrual cycle.
      By: joshya
      The thickness of the endometrium changes along with the female's menstrual cycle.
    • A fallopian tube cyst may cause minor or severe pain in the pelvic area.
      By: michaeljung
      A fallopian tube cyst may cause minor or severe pain in the pelvic area.