Ovulation pain, also known as mittelschmerz, is discomfort in the lower belly during ovulation, when the ovaries release an egg.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290852a238-ca0b-4114-bcd7-c5cf780b1465 Mittelschmerz comes from the German word meaning “middle pain” because it happens in the middle of the menstrual cycle, around 14 days before a period starts. Although ovulation pain isn’t dangerous and doesn’t need treatment, it’s easy to confuse it with more serious conditions like appendicitis , which can lead to unnecessary tests and treatments.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ef9bf110-6c6e-4e79-88f4-0441baac3da9 Usually, though, the pain is manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers and goes away within a few hours.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290103b706-59a4-435d-83e3-8e19e4c36db8
Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Symptoms Pain from ovulation is usually felt on one side of the lower belly — the side where the ovary is releasing the egg.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762902e18935-4fca-416e-a9e8-94a6cf1bbb8f Ovulation pain can feel like a mild ache or a sudden sharp pain. It can last for minutes, hours, or less often, for more than a day. Other mittelschmerz symptoms are:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b2d17c5a-f121-4b56-bbcc-dd451ad1ce7e Light vaginal bleeding Clear vaginal discharge Low back pain Nausea
Causes and Risk Factors of Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Causes Mittelschmerz may be caused by the ovulation process.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e4b66286-93a0-4965-b157-6f4c90524977 During ovulation, the follicle inside the ovary that houses an egg stretches and then breaks open.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298235b458-c2f0-432e-aec0-2f6c886c9a80 Both the stretching and the rupturing of the follicle can be painful. Pain during ovulation is normal for more than 40 percent of women.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629855016d0-afe7-4bb3-86fe-43f8b58bf889 But other medical conditions that cause similar pain could be more serious, including:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e7f5c494-6641-46d7-a154-3ff9999fab6e Appendicitis Ectopic pregnancy Endometriosis Pelvic inflammatory diseases from STIs, like chlamydia
How Is Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Diagnosed? Diagnosis The timing, location of the pain, medical history of you and your family, and medications you take can help with the diagnosis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762966b16390-dc39-4a77-bb40-1dbf9a02fd67 If the pain happens 14 days before a menstrual period, lasts for a few hours, and feels like a dull ache, it may be mittelschmerz. Part of the diagnosis involves ruling out other causes of pelvic pain. e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762966b16390-dc39-4a77-bb40-1dbf9a02fd67 The healthcare provider will start by asking questions about symptoms, medical history, and menstrual cycle. During a pelvic exam, the doctor will look for other conditions that cause this type of pain, like endometriosis or an ovarian cyst. If the doctor still can’t find a cause for the pain, other tests may be done to confirm the cause, such as:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296761b7da-42ef-40dd-a5ed-7d918f5ec84a Blood tests Computed tomography (CT) scan Pelvic ultrasound X-ray A swab of cervical fluid to test for an STDe60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b10e445e-2593-4f85-991b-77ad7c85c98a
Treatment and Medication Options for Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Treatment Mittelschmerz doesn’t usually need treatment, because the pain goes away within a few minutes or hours.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762933243b01-dd63-42a7-ae0b-59d86bd67636 It may help to hold a heating pad on the painful area or take a warm bath. Over-the-counter pain relievers and at-home treatments can calm the pain until it subsides. Medication Options An over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) can help with ovarian pain. e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762933243b01-dd63-42a7-ae0b-59d86bd67636 NSAIDs include: Aspirin Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) Naproxen (Aleve) If ovulation pain is severe or bothersome, the doctor may prescribe hormonal birth control pills to stop ovulation. e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762933243b01-dd63-42a7-ae0b-59d86bd67636 Stopping ovulation should prevent ovulation pain. You will not be able to get pregnant while taking birth control pills. Complementary and Integrative Therapies In addition to over-the-counter pain relievers, the following complementary therapies may help to relieve ovulation pain, including:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a63ac71d-40d7-40d0-b89d-92705df7bb1c Acupuncture Acupressure Massage Mindfulness meditation Yoga Home Remedies If you find your ovulation pain to be generally light, applying heat may help.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298d3b0c0e-6b46-4d09-ade2-4eda1979c5c3 Heat can relax muscles and increase blood flow, which reduces cramping. Try the following for heat remedies: Heating pads Hot baths or showers
Prevention of Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Prevention Ovulation pain isn’t preventable, because it’s a normal part of ovulation for some women.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b04bc5af-0a08-43e8-8bb9-f0860df8a640 Usually, the pain doesn’t last long. If mittelschmerz is very bothersome, the only way to prevent it is to stop ovulation through hormonal birth control methods like the pill. Certain foods increase inflammation in the body, and may worsen ovarian pain.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e86507e7-0766-4d7b-ab45-9557a2bd0d1a Other foods lower inflammation and may reduce pain. These foods may help with pain related to the menstrual cycle: Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts Fruits: Berries, oranges, apples Legumes: Beans, peas, lentils Whole grains: Brown rice, oatmeal Eat fewer foods like these, which increase inflammation:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e86507e7-0766-4d7b-ab45-9557a2bd0d1a Animal proteins, like red meat, chicken, and eggs Dairy products Refined grains, like white bread and white rice Fried foods Furthermore, to lessen pain related to the menstrual cycle, it may help to reduce or avoid caffeine and alcohol.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c3b11c8c-3e3a-4b17-a19b-3494010156af
How Long Does Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Last? Prognosis and Outlook Ovulation pain isn’t serious and it should go away on its own within a few minutes or hours.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f837272d-e648-43f9-8d55-5ff8dc514354 But if this pain is bothersome or it occurs on a regular basis, talk to a healthcare provider about ways to prevent or manage it.
Complications of Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Complications Mittelschmerz doesn’t cause any complications, although ovarian pain from a condition like endometriosis or an ectopic pregnancy can lead to problems.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ff7c0f50-b0eb-4657-a308-7cd6fb589c86 Ovarian pain itself should go away within a few hours, or days at most.
How Many People Have Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz)? Research and Statistics Mittelschmerz affects more than 40 percent of women during their reproductive years (the years between when their periods start and end).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291b1f2cf7-ff7f-4b08-8e4b-986443b583ec Many have ovarian pain during every menstrual cycle, starting a few years after they get their first period.
Disparities and Inequities in Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Disparities There is currently no research to show that mittelschmerz affects any race more than another. But not everyone who needs treatment may have access to it. To prevent ovulation pain, hormonal birth control is needed to stop ovulation. But racial and ethnic disparities in access to hormonal birth control do exist.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297b17d971-95bf-426d-93b5-4cf3c127ef8d White women are more likely to be prescribed hormonal medications than are Black or Latinx women.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297b17d971-95bf-426d-93b5-4cf3c127ef8d One reason is bias among healthcare providers. Another is that studies on hormonal therapy for treating menstrual cycle problems disproportionately include more white participants than participants of color. And, for various reasons, including beliefs about treatment, certain racial and ethnic groups may be less likely to follow the treatment plan for ovarian pain that their doctor prescribes.
Conditions Related to Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz) Related Conditions Several other conditions that cause ovarian or lower belly pain may be mistaken for mittelschmerz, including:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d22b7175-51ea-4e55-8eb7-112c68f23888 Appendicitis Inflammation of the appendix, an organ in the lower belly Ectopic pregnancy When a fertilized egg implants and starts to grow outside of the uterus, often in a fallopian tube Endometriosis Tissue similar to the lining of the uterus that grows in other parts of the abdomen and causes pain Ovarian cyst A fluid-filled sac that forms in the ovary Ovarian torsion When an ovary twists around Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) An infection of the reproductive organs Scar tissue Scarring from a C-section or other abdominal surgery that causes organs in the belly to stick together (adhesions) The Takeaway Ovulation pain affects around 40 percent of women who are of reproductive age. It may be caused by the follicle stretching and then rupturing to release the egg. The pain is most often felt in the lower belly on the same side as the follicle. Mittelschmerz usually lasts only a few hours and is manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers and a heating pad.
Resources We Trust Cleveland Clinic: Ovulation Calendar: What It Is and How to Use It Mayo Clinic: MittelschmerzPhysicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: Using Foods Against Menstrual PainNHS: Ovulation PainPlanned Parenthood: Can birth control help with period cramps?
