Diagnosis of swollen ovaries

Swelling of the ovaries is mainly determined by transvaginal sonography. This is the vaginal ultrasound examination that is often performed by a gynecologist. In this examination, the ovaries are also always examined and measured.

A swelling is therefore noticeable here. In some cases, swelling can also be detected by vaginal palpation. The symptom of an inflammation of the ovaries is often pain in the cervix (pain at the transition from the vagina to the uterus).

This pain is provoked by the examiner during the vaginal palpation and is typical for bacterial pelvic inflammatory disease. The examiner then palpates a kind of resistance, which is also called resistance. Depending on the suspicion, further examinations such as blood tests or a laparoscopy are performed.

Particularly important is a vaginal smear, which is examined for pathogens. The main focus is on targeted testing for gonococci and chlamydia, as these are the most common pathogens of pelvic inflammatory disease. If an ectopic pregnancy is suspected, an additional pregnancy test is performed.

Associated symptoms of swollen ovaries

Swollen ovaries do not cause uniform symptoms, as different diseases or conditions can be responsible for the swelling. Some swellings go unnoticed at first because they are not painful. In the acute stage, bacterial infections of the ovaries (pelvic inflammatory disease) lead to severe pain in the lower abdomen, which suddenly appears.

Usually the pain is side effects.Furthermore, nausea, vomiting and fever can occur. However, it is also possible that the infection is more likely to be mild. The symptoms are then not so pronounced, so that the affected woman usually does not notice anything.

Only the gynecological palpation can be painful. In an ectopic pregnancy, on the other hand, the accompanying symptoms of ovarian swelling look completely different. Usually there is spotting outside the period, which can be misinterpreted as delayed menstruation.

Pain in the lower abdomen or pressure pain over the affected ovary are also possible. Endometriosis of the ovaries leads to cycle-dependent and cycle-independent complaints. The cycle-dependent complaints arise because the misplaced endometrium reacts to the hormonal balance of the cycle.

Typical is a cycle-synchronous pain that begins 2 days before the period and increases in intensity during the course of the period. This pain is also known as crescendo pain. Furthermore, cycle irregularities such as intermediate and spotting bleeding, very heavy bleeding (hypermenorrhea) or very painful bleeding are typical of endometriosis.

As pain independent of the cycle, permanent abdominal pain can occur. These depend on the extent to which the ovaries are affected. In addition, the risk of ectopic pregnancy or even sterility is increased.

Rarely, swollen ovaries are an expression of a malignant tumor disease, i.e. cancer. In this case, the symptoms are strongly dependent on the stage of the cancer. Unfortunately, at this point the cancer is symptom-free in the early stage, so that it is often detected very late.

In the advanced stage, fever, night sweats, swelling of lymph nodes, abdominal pain and general fatigue can occur. However, these symptoms are very unspecific and may in principle also be present in other diseases. Swollen ovaries often also cause pain.

A very common reason for swelling of the ovaries is bacterial pelvic inflammatory disease. In the acute stage, this is usually accompanied by unilateral, severe abdominal pain that occurs suddenly. This type of pain has a very pulling and stabbing character and is described by women as very peculiar.

It is different from menstrual pain, for example. It is accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting. In the chronic stage, the pain is usually only perceptible as a dull pressing in the lower abdomen.

However, it can flare up again and again in its acute form without warning. Sometimes the disease progresses subacutely so that the pain is hardly noticeable. They can then usually only be provoked during the gynecological palpation.

A so-called pain in the portio is also typical. This pain is provoked by the examiner during the vaginal palpation. The pain of an ectopic pregnancy is usually different in nature from that of an adnexitis.

They are usually weaker and occur gradually. Often there is no pain at all. If pain is present, it is often unspecific, pressing pain in the lower abdomen.

There may also be a painful pressure over the ectopic pregnancy. A complication of an ectopic pregnancy can be the so-called tubal rupture. The fallopian tube ruptures and suddenly, severe pain in the lower abdomen occurs.

At the same time a circulatory collapse can occur. This is a highly acute situation that must be treated as an emergency. Endometriosis also causes pain as a symptom of ovarian swelling.

Typical is cycle-dependent pain. These pains occur about 2 days before the period and increase in intensity during the period. They subside towards the end of the period.

This is the reason why the pain is called “crescendo pain”. There may also be permanent abdominal pain. These indicate cystic structures or adhesions in the abdomen. If there are also endometriosis lesions in the vagina, additional pain during sexual intercourse is very typical.