Ovulation Pain

Abdominal bloatedness and discomfort are symptoms that most women will experience from time to time. If the symptoms are related to the middle of the menstrual cycle, this may be ovulation pain or mittelschmerz, a German word that means "middle pain." This is usually normal and common affecting about twenty percent of women. Most women usually report a nagging pain that begins as a sharp twinge and diminishes into a dull ache for the next day or so. The discomfort usually occurs in the lower abdomen and can be aggravated by intercourse, or other physical activity. The best way to diagnose your painful ovulation is to keep a chart or diary showing when the pain occurs in relation to the start of your menstrual periods. Your doctor will use this diary in conjunction with your medical history, a physical examination, and perhaps some other medical tests to rule out other possible causes of your pain before making a diagnosis of mittelschmerz.

Abdominal bloating and distension can also be due to a group of functional disorders called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Patients with IBS tend to be unusually aware of gas in the digestive tract.

Although cancer of large gut (colon) does not usually present with bloatedness, cancer of the ovary, a silent killer may present with these non-specific symptoms.

If the symptoms persist, one should consult doctor to find out the exact cause. Occasionally some women may require laparoscopy, in which a narrow tube with a fiber-optic light on the end is introduced through a small incision below the navel and into the abdominal wall to help determine the cause.