Pelvic pain is scary, especially when you don't know what's causing it. In many cases, pelvic pain in the middle of a menstrual cycle is due to mittelschmerz, or ovulation pain – but why does that happen?
At Collaborative Women's Care in Miami, Florida, Dr. Eduardo Valdes provides obstetrics and gynecology care, including treating pelvic pain. He offers services like well-woman exams, ultrasounds, and PCOS treatment for pelvic pain.
Ovulation happens when a woman’s ovary releases an egg. The egg travels down the fallopian tube, waiting for a sperm to fertilize it. If fertilization doesn't occur, the egg comes out during your period.
Ovulation can occur any time during the menstrual cycle, but most often happens about halfway between your last period and the next one. For women with a 28-day cycle, ovulation typically occurs around day 14.
Various things influence when ovulation occurs, including stress, illness, and medical conditions. Women who experience pain during ovulation may be dealing with just ovulation pain or other issues like endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy, or PCOS.
Most women can't feel it when they ovulate, while others experience what's known as mittelschmerz, or pelvic pain, during the release of the egg. It's very common, affecting up to 40% of women during childbearing years.
Pelvic pain during ovulation is widespread and isn't usually a cause for concern. The ovaries typically take turns releasing an egg, and the pelvic pain occurs on the side that releases it that month.
The pain comes from the follicle rupturing, which is a fluid-filled sac that releases the egg. The pelvic pain you feel during ovulation is caused by the follicle stretching and bursting when the egg emerges.
Every woman is different when it comes to ovulatory pain, with some experiencing pain every month and others only feeling twinges intermittently. The discomfort may also come with other symptoms like light spotting, vaginal discharge, and low back pain.
Ovulation pain isn't a cause for concern and typically dissipates within a day. However, if you're uncomfortable, some home remedies can help.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications are very helpful in managing ovulation pain. Take the recommended dose while in pain to stay comfortable during mittelschmerz.
A warm bath or heating pad over the pelvic area also helps manage discomfort. If you experience severe pelvic pain related to ovulation, Dr. Valdes provides diagnostic studies to make sure nothing else is going on.
He may recommend hormonal birth control to prevent ovulation, which alleviates ovulation pain. However, you won't be able to get pregnant while on hormonal birth control, so talk to him about your family plans before going this route.
To schedule an appointment for pelvic pain, call our Miami, Florida, office or request an appointment using our convenient online booking feature.
