Mittelschmerz - Ovulation Pain?

Question

Does anyone know about mittelschmerz, ovulation pain? I am interested in it. What type of pain is it and where. Also is one ovulatin only when they experience the pain or that whole day?
Any other info. would be interesting as well.
Thanx.

Answer 1

Mittelschmerz

If you're a woman who sometimes experiences a pain on one side of your lower abdomen and you don't know what it is, keep track of its timing. If it occurs midway through your menstrual cycle, about 14 days before your next menstrual period, you're most likely experiencing a condition called mittelschmerz. A German word that means "middle pain," mittelschmerz is simply pain during ovulation.

An estimated one in five women experience ovulation pain at some time during their reproductive years. Some have it every month, while others have it only occasionally.

Most of the time, mittelschmerz doesn't require medical attention. Treatment may involve taking over-the-counter pain relievers and following other self-care strategies. If your pain continues to be troublesome, your doctor may prescribe an oral contraceptive.
Signs and symptoms

The main symptom of mittelschmerz is a distinctive, one-sided lower abdominal pain. Chances are you've experienced a similar pain in the past, possibly switching to the other side of your abdomen every other month or every other time you feel it. It's also possible to feel it on the same side for several months in a row. The pain occurs on the side you're ovulating.

The pain usually lasts a few minutes to a few hours, but it may continue for as long as a day or two. It may be sharp, or it may be a dull ache that feels like a cramp. Rarely is the pain severe. It may be associated with a small amount of vaginal bleeding, possibly caused by the rapid drop in estrogen that occurs at the time of ovulation.

Causes

During your menstrual cycle, the female sex hormone estrogen causes your uterine lining (endometrium) to thicken every month to create a nourishing environment for a fertilized egg. Soon afterward, a follicle — a tiny sac in your ovary that contains a single egg (ovum) — ruptures and releases its egg (ovulation). If the egg becomes fertilized by contact with a sperm on its way to your uterus, the egg implants in the lining of the uterus. However, most often the unfertilized egg passes through your uterus and out of your body. Shortly thereafter, your uterus releases this lining, and your menstrual flow begins.

Mittelschmerz occurs during ovulation, when the follicle ruptures and releases its egg. No one knows for sure what causes mittelschmerz, but it's possible that just before you ovulate, follicle growth stretches the surface of your ovary, causing pain. You feel it on the side of your abdomen that contains the ovary that's releasing an egg. It's also possible that blood or fluid released from the ruptured follicle irritates the lining of your abdomen (peritoneum), leading to pain.

Pain at any other point in your menstrual cycle isn't mittelschmerz. It may be normal menstrual cramping (dysmenorrhea), but if your pain is severe during ovulation or at any time during your cycle, see your doctor.


When to seek medical advice

In the vast majority of cases, mittelschmerz requires no medical intervention. However, contact your doctor if the pain becomes severe, if it's accompanied by nausea or fever, or if it lasts longer than a day - any of which could indicate you have a condition more serious than mittelschmerz, such as appendicitis.

The location and the timing of the pain usually serve to identify mittelschmerz, especially if you have a history of it. Keep track of your menstrual cycle for several months and note when you experience the pain. If the pain occurs midcycle and goes away without treatment, it's most likely mittelschmerz.


Treatment

If you need relief from the discomfort of mittelschmerz, try an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen (Aleve).

If you feel mittelschmerz nearly every month and it causes you quite a bit of discomfort, talk to your doctor about the option of taking a birth control pill (oral contraceptive). Birth control pills prevent ovulation, which prevents mittelschmerz because the condition occurs only when one of your ovaries releases an egg.


Self-care

If the discomfort from mittelschmerz lasts more than a few minutes, try some self-care strategies to gain relief. Heat increases blood flow, relaxes tense muscles and eases cramping, so soaking in a hot bath or using a heating pad on the side of your abdomen where the pain occurs may provide relief.


Midcycle menstrual cramps: What causes this?
Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)

Answer 2

Mittelschmerz Treatment

Answer 3

sounds good to me... when i was trying to conceive i had the same around the time of ovulation so she should be ok GL...