Introduction
Many women suffer from sudden pain in the lower abdomen during their menstruation or during their cycle. Often there is also abdominal pain during ovulation. The causes are usually harmless.
The pain is often caused by contractions of the uterus during menstruation or ovulation. Particularly sensitive women can feel their ovulation by a sudden short pain. In some cases, serious illnesses such as inflammation of the ovaries or an ectopic pregnancy can also be the cause of lower abdominal pain.
Causes
Some of the major causes of pain in the area of the ovaries are
- The female menstrual cycle,
- Myomas on the uterus,
- Endometriosis,
- Twisted cysts,
- Adhesions or infections of the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Some women experience a sudden, often cramping pain in the area of their ovaries about 2 weeks after their period, i.e. on the 13-15th day of their cycle. This is caused by ovulation. During this time, a follicle containing a mature egg bursts and the egg is released into the fallopian tube.
Especially women who try to become pregnant by artificial means can experience their ovulation more painfully and more intensively. In most cases, the pain lasts for 1 to 2 days and then disappears by itself. In some cases, the pain can also be one-sided, for example, only on the left side.
Another cause of pain in the lower abdomen, which can also radiate to the ovaries, is the typical menstrual pain, also known as dysmenorrhea. This pain usually starts in the small pelvis and extends through the ovaries into the lower abdomen and in some cases radiates to the thighs and back. It can be accompanied by muscle pain, diarrhea and nausea.
If the pain persists even after the period or if spotting or spotting bleeding occurs, these should be clarified gynecologically. They may be associated with myomas, tumors or polyps. Myomas are frequent, benign tumors of the uterine muscle layer, which grow as a result of estrogen and, above a certain size, can press on neighboring organs and nerve endings.
This causes pain that can occur during and after the period. Other typical symptoms of fibroids are increased menstruation or inter-bleeding. Infections of the ovaries can also cause severe pain in the area of the ovaries and are usually accompanied by fever and a severe feeling of illness.
The main causes of inflammation of the ovaries are chlamydia and gonococcus (triggers of gonorrhoea). In most cases, the pathogens migrate upwards from the vagina via the uterus to the fallopian tubes. Factors that allow pathogens to enter the uterus include menstruation, births or miscarriages, fibroids, polyps, or interventions in the uterus, such as the insertion of the IUD.
Causes of a descending infection of the ovaries include inflammation of the appendix or colon. Since these two organs are located in close proximity to the ovaries, infections can spread directly to them. This type of transmission is also known as “per continuitatem”.
Another cause of pain in the ovaries is ovarian cysts. These are usually benign sac-like tumors that grow during the normal cycle and can cause pain above a certain size. If there is a rotation of the ovarian cysts, the vessels are pinched and the blood flow to the ovaries is stopped. This ovarian cyst rotation is an absolute emergency and must be operated on immediately.