Ovarian cysts are more common than most people realize. In fact, most women develop them at least once in their lifetime and never even know they had them because they simply go away on their own without causing any symptoms. That’s the majority of ovarian cysts. They are harmless and cause no issues for the woman. Therefore, no medication is prescribed for these cysts.

Other ovarian cysts are a bit more problematic. While most likely not dangerous, they can become symptomatic and uncomfortable. These are the ones that usually send women to their doctors to find out what’s going on. They’re experiencing some lower abdominal pain as well as some feelings of fullness or pressure that aren’t normal to them at all. When they present these symptoms to their doctors, they’re typically given a complete physical examination with emphasis on a pelvic exam. If an ovarian cyst is discovered, there may be further tests ordered to gather more information about the type of cyst it is.

In the meantime, most doctors will suggest that their patients use over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen to deal with the pain. For more persistent and harsher pain, doctors may prescribe a pain medication such as naproxen to make the patients more comfortable.

Naproxen is part of a group of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, also called NSAIDs. These work by decreasing the hormones that are causing the pain and inflammation in the body. Naproxen is also prescribed to help with the pain caused by other conditions such as tendinitis, arthritis, and gout as well as severe menstrual cramps.

For other ovarian cysts that aren’t going through the “wait and see” approach of treatment, many doctors prescribe birth control pills that will prevent ovulation. Birth control pills have been found to reduce the chance of more cysts developing. One of the more popular birth control pills that have been prescribed is Loestrin 24 Fe. It’s a low dose pill and has 24 days of active hormonal therapy.

The active pills have estrogen, progestin, ethinyl estradiol, and norethindrone acetate. While also being 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, these birth control pills seem to work well in helping the body rid itself of the ovarian cyst. You can also choose to take a birth control shot. This prevents ovulation, thus has a good chance of making the ovarian cysts go away or even preventing them.

In recent years, many women have chosen to forego mainstream medication in favor of natural or holistic ways to treat ovarian cysts.