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Ovulatory pain
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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A human being is a relatively perfect model of a living organism, in which many functions are duplicated, some vital organs are paired, the system of notification of various malfunctions is debugged and alarm signals cannot be ignored. The female body reacts very sensitively to the slightest disturbances in its work and women, as a rule, have a low pain threshold. Pain from mechanical damage to the skin, headache, menstrual pain, ovulatory pain - the list of reasons for messages from the body to the consciousness is endless. Sometimes the pain is purely psychological in nature.
[ What causes ovulatory pain?
Periodically occurring pain in the lower abdomen can also be functional, especially such as ovulatory pain and menstrual pain. Ovulatory pain occurs periodically, depending on the time of maturation and release of the egg. The appearance of this type of pain can be predicted, and its duration and intensity are also predictable. Usually, pain occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, is relatively easy to bear, lasts from several hours to a day or two, is paroxysmal or aching, and passes without a trace.
In the absence of gynecological problems, ovulatory pain appears monthly alternately on the right or left side of the lower abdomen, depending on whether the right or left ovary carried the maturing egg. In any case, ovulatory pain differs from pain caused by injuries by its short duration and relatively easy to bear.
To confirm that the periodically occurring pains are ovulatory, it is enough to conduct a rather labor-intensive home study - drawing up a basal temperature chart. In the mornings, without getting out of bed, at the same time, the woman measures the temperature in the rectum and draws up a chart of readings. A chart lasting at least six months can be considered relatively reliable. This method is used as a method for calculating the days of the greatest probability of conception. On the day of ovulation, the basal temperature increases by several tenths of a degree. When contacting the attending physician, this chart can be a source of valuable information.
Painful sensations arise as a reaction, a signal of irritation from the blood that appears in the abdominal cavity due to the rupture of the follicle by a mature egg. If suddenly the appearance of ovulatory pain does not coincide with the timing of possible ovulation, the nature of the pain changes - you should immediately seek help from specialists. If ovulatory pain is constantly pronounced and causes significant discomfort, the gynecologist-endocrinologist will prescribe an examination, as a result of which, after confirming the causes of pain, hormonal drugs can be recommended. Treatment is prescribed taking into account the weight, age and type of patients. The essence of the treatment is that when taking certain drugs, ovulation does not occur, since the egg does not mature, therefore, in the absence of ovulation, the follicle does not rupture and blood does not enter the abdominal cavity. With the relative integrity of the internal organs, a pain signal will not be received. This method of dealing with ovulatory pain is not suitable for couples planning a pregnancy.
What to do if ovulatory pain occurs?
Any type of pain, be it headache or ovulatory pain, is worth undergoing an examination and accurately determining the cause of the discomfort. Very often, various diseases associated with the pelvic organs begin with vague pain in the lower abdomen. It should be remembered that it is easier to prevent a disease than to cure it.
Pain is the only means of communicating any malfunctions of internal organs, even if these disorders are associated with functional changes necessary for the work of these organs. If women periodically experience pain in the lower abdomen, then the analysis of the causes of pain should begin with the exclusion of life-threatening conditions. If the pain is constant, but of varying intensity, unclear localization, acute or unbearable, you should seek help from specialists to exclude conditions of inflammation of the appendix, intestinal obstruction, rupture of cystic formations and similar conditions that pose a threat to life.