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Causes Of Pain During And After Ovulation

23rd March, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

This article is focused on giving you information concerning some of the concerns you may have related to ovulation pain. What is ovulation pain? What causes ovulation pain? What are the signs of ovulation pain? Why is there sometimes ovulation pain after ovulation?

Ovulation pain is a variety of ovarian pain which occurs in around one woman in every five in their reproductive years. Generally, ovulation pain happens about two weeks before the menstrual cycle, when one of the ovaries releases an ovum or egg. Intensity of ovulation pain varies from woman to another. Some women feel mild discomfort, others have severe pain and cramping. Pain during ovulation can last for a few minutes or a few days. Another name for ovary pain during ovulation is Mittelschmerz, which means “mid pain” in German.

Pain during ovulation can be a symptom of an underlying gynecological disorder, but this is generally not the case. Nevertheless, severe, prolonged pain during ovulation (more than two or three days) or heavy bleeding should be discussed with your doctor.

What causes discomfort during ovulation? The exact cause of ovulation pain is not known, but researchers have come up with some educated guesses.

The most probable possibilities center on ovarian follicles, the sac-like structures in which eggs develop. One theory is that during ovulation, the follicle bursts open, releasing the egg into the fallopian tube. It may be that the expanding follicle stretches the membrane of the ovaries, causing ovary pain during ovulation.

Another theory suggests that when the egg reaches the mature stage, it bursts from the follicle, causes some internal bleeding. Perhaps this bleeding may irritate the lining of the uterus, causing ovulation pain.

As previously mentioned, ovulation pain is quite common and in most cases is not symptomatic of any underlying disorder. But sometimes it can be an indication of a problem that’s developing. These are some of the possibilities.

Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease – Another name for pelvic inflammatory disease is PID. PID is characterized by inflammation in a woman’s reproductive organs. PID is often a serious complication of diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Ectopic pregnancy – An ectopic pregnancy happens when a fertilized egg begins to develop outside the ueterus – frequently in a fallopian tube. Typical symptoms include abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding. It is a dangerous situation and requires professional medical attention.

Endometriosis – When the endometrium, or lining of the uterus, grows outside the uterus, the condition is known as endometriosis. Menstrual discomfort and pain during intimacy are usually symptoms of endometriosis.

A cyst on the ovary – These are fluid-filled sacs that grow on your ovaries. Usually, a cyst growing on an ovary is harmless, but this is not true 100 percent of the time.

Salpingitis – Inflammation of the fallopian tubes, usually due to infection. It’s more common than a lot of people think, and it is the cause of one of every six hospital admissions that are related to a woman’s reproductive system.

Why is there sometimes post ovulation pain? Pain after ovulation may be caused by a small leakage of blood from the ovary during ovulation. This leakage can cause irritation. The seriousness of this kind of pain following ovulation depends on how much leakage there has been and several other variables. Other conditions related to the reproductive system, such as fibroids or PCOS can also cause pain after ovulation. You should talk these over with your medical care provider.

Remember that the discomfort from an inflamed appendix is can be mistaken for ovulation pain. If your pain is constant and growing worse on the right side of the abdomen, with nausea and vomiting, obtain medical attention right away.

There are other diseases and disorders that can cause discomfort similar to ovulation pain too. These are mostly gastrointestinal problems, such as a perforated ulcer, gastroenteritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Again, ovulation pain is usually harmless and is transient, although it can be especially painful for some women as long as it lasts. It is important to know when mid-cycle pain can be a sign of something more threatening. As with most illnesses and diseases, early diagnosis increases the probability of a happy outcome.

Learn more about ovary pain from ovulation clicking on cramping during ovulation and ovarian pain.