Ovulation – one of the phases of the menstrual cycle during which unpleasant symptoms can appear, similar to those that appear in many women during menstruation. Ovulatory syndrome, painful ovulation, or mittelschmerz (from German mittelschmerz) – this is the name of the pain that girls and women experience in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Whether this problem is dangerous, what serious diseases it can indicate and whether there are ways to combat ovulatory syndrome, estet-portal.com will tell.
What are painful periods?
Ovulatory syndrome – pain that occurs during the period when the egg is released from the ovary – 12 & ndash; 16 days before the onset of menstruation. In women with a regular 28-day cycle, painful ovulation usually occurs 14 days before menstruation. The word mittelshmerz, borrowed from the German language, means "pain"; and "middle", so it is also used to refer to the pains that disturb women in the middle of the cycle.
It is worth noting that ovulation – a normal physiological process that should proceed painlessly. Painful ovulation is not as common as painful periods.
Mittelshmerz does not necessarily indicate an abnormality, although in some cases it may be the result of certain gynecological problems.
The processes of ovulation and menstruation – the two most significant phases of the menstrual cycle – regulated by four main hormones:
- luteinizing hormone (produced by the pituitary gland);
- follicle stimulating hormone (produced by the pituitary gland);
- estrogen (produced by the ovaries);
- progesterone (produced by the ovaries).
What's going on:
- after the onset of menstruation, estrogen levels decrease;
- follicle stimulating hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland;
- in response to the action of FSH, the follicle in the ovary matures;
- luteinizing hormone is produced by the pituitary gland;
- under the influence of LH, the mature egg is released from the follicle;
- After the release of the egg from the follicle, a corpus luteum is formed that produces progesterone.
Not every woman knows the exact period of ovulation. With an irregular menstrual cycle, the timing of ovulation varies.
Painful ovulation:
- symptoms;
- reasons.
Symptoms of painful ovulation: how are they different from PMS?
As for the symptoms of Mittelshmerz, they manifest themselves in the form of pain in the lower abdomen, the severity of which is mostly moderate. Pain during ovulation, as a rule, appears on one side, and its localization may change with each subsequent menstrual cycle. In most cases, the pain resolves spontaneously without any complications after 1-2 days.
Unlike menstrual cramps, ovulatory syndrome is not accompanied by other symptoms such as headache, nausea, and irritability.
Unlike menstrual cramps, ovulatory syndrome is not accompanied by other symptoms such as headache, nausea, and irritability. However, unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding may also occur along with painful ovulation, which is not considered abnormal.
Causes of Painful Menstruation: Should You Be Worried?
The exact cause of painful ovulation has not yet been established, but there are several theories. For example, some believe that when a follicle ruptures, a small amount of blood and fluid is released, which irritates the lining of the abdominal cavity and causes pain. Another proposed theory is that as a result of the enlargement of the follicle, the surface of the ovary may stretch before rupture. hence the pain.
Severe and/or regular pain during ovulation should alert you as it may indicate problems with the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or uterus.
However, in some cases, ovulatory syndrome may be the result of gynecological diseases. For example, inflammatory processes can increase pain, so it is important to differentiate between painful ovulation and mittelschmertz due to disease.
However, severe and/or regular pain during ovulation should alert you as it may indicate problems with your ovaries, fallopian tubes, or uterus. These include:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
SLEEP – a fairly common gynecological problem, accompanied by the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen. Elevated levels of male hormones (androgens) can lead to menstrual irregularities and even the absence of ovulation (anovulation) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Endometriosis
Endometriosis – is a disease characterized by an abnormal growth of the lining of the uterus (endometrium). This tissue reacts to hormonal changes, which can lead to pain. Therefore, increased pain during the mittelshmertz – a frequent consequence of endometriosis, although the pain associated with this disease can disturb women at any time of the menstrual cycle.
- Spikes
Adhesions are scar tissue that usually forms at the site of surgery. Most often they appear in the abdominal cavity, they can form on the ovaries, in the uterus, etc.
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
PID – diseases caused by pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms that affect the organs of the female reproductive system: the uterus, fallopian tubes and even the ovaries. Some of these infections are sexually transmitted. The pain that occurs with such diseases does not depend on the phase of the menstrual cycle, but may increase during ovulation and menstruation.
Read also: Female intimate problems: everything you wanted to know
Taking into account the possible causes of the appearance or worsening of the symptoms of painful ovulation, estet-portal.com recommends not to ignore this problem and contact a qualified gynecologist to make sure that a serious illness is not the cause of ovulatory syndrome. If a gynecological problem led to the occurrence of mittelshmerz, the doctor will be able to detect it in time, make an accurate diagnosis and eliminate it with minimal risk of further complications.
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