Mittelschmerz is characterized by lower abdominal pain and / or pelvic pain that occurs roughly midway through a woman's menstrual cycle. The pain can appear suddenly and usually subsides within a few hours or occasionally after a couple of days. In some women, the Mittelschmerz is localized enough so that they can tell which of their two ovaries provided the egg in a given month.
Diagnosis of mittelschmerz is generally made if a woman is mid-cycle and a pelvic examination shows no abnormality. If the pain is prolonged and/or severe, other diagnostic procedures such as pelvic ultrasound or laparoscopy may be performed to rule out other causes of abdominal pain.
The pain of mittelschmerz is sometimes mistaken for appendicitis in women of child-bearing age.
Treatment
Mittelschmertz is not harmful and does not signify the presence of disease. Pain relievers (analgesics) may be needed in cases of prolonged or intense pain.
Hormonal contraception can be taken to prevent ovulation.
Causes
Mittelschmerz is believed to have a variety of causes:
* Follicular swelling: The swelling of follicles in the ovaries prior to ovulation. While only one or two eggs mature to the point of being released, a number of follicles grow during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (non-dominant follicles atrophy prior to ovulation).
* Ovarian wall rupture: The ovaries have no opening; at ovulation the egg breaks through the ovary's wall. This may make ovulation itself painful for some women.
* Fallopian tube contraction: After ovulation, the fallopian tubes contract which may cause pain in some women.
* Irritation: At the time of ovulation, blood or other fluid is released from the ruptured egg follicle. This fluid may cause irritation of the abdominal lining - peritonism.
Please click on the required question.
- 1 Pelvic Pain. Is this a common problem?
- 2 What are the common causes of pelvic pain in women?
- 3 What are the more common gynaecological causes of pelvic pain?
- 4 What are the more common non-gynaecological causes of pelvic pain?
- 5 What are primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea - painful periods?
- 6 What is retrograde menstruation?
- 7 How can dysmenorrhoea - painful periods be treated?
- 8 What are ovarian cysts?
- 9 How do ovarian cysts cause pain?
- 10 How are ovarian cysts diagnosed?
- 11 How are ovarian cysts treated?
- 12 I think I may be pregnant and I have some pelvic pain. What should I do?
- 13 What is pelvic inflammatory disease and how can it be treated?
- Mittelschmertz
- 14 What are fibroids?
- 15 I have fibroids. What difficulties might they cause for me?
- 16 How are fibroids diagnosed?
- 17 How could my fibroids be treated?
ENDOMETRIOSIS
- 18 What is endometriosis?
- 19 How prevalent is endometriosis?
- 20 What causes endometriosis?
- 21 How can my endometriosis be treated?
- 22 How can my doctor determine the cause of my pelvic pain?
- 23 What investigations might be recommended by my gynaecologist to investigate my pelvic pain?
- 24 What is laparoscopy?
- 25 What are pelvic adhesions?
- 26 I have chronic pelvic pain. Could this be related to adhesions?
- 27 What is uterine retroversion (retroverted uterus)
- 28 Does a retroverted uterus (backward tilted uterus) cause symptoms?
- 29 How is a retroverted uterus - backward tilted uterus - treated?
- 30 What is pelvic congestion?
- 31 What causes pain associated with sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
- 32 How can painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) be treated?
- 33 What is a pelvic mass?
IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME - IBS
- 34 What is irritable bowel syndrome?
- 35 How can we find out if I have irritable bowel syndrome?
- 36 Is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) a common condition?
- 37 What causes IBS?
- 38 What is the pain associated with IBS like?
- 39 Can IBS be mistaken for gynaecological problems?
- 40 How can my IBS be treated?
- 41 What other treatments are available for IBS?
- 42 What can be done to reduce the amount of bowel gas(flatus)
- 43 What is constipation?
- 44 What causes constipation?
- 45 How can constipation be treated?
- 46 How could we summarise the treatments that are available for my pelvic pain?
- 47 Where can I obtain more information?
- 48 Support Groups.
Thank you for choosing to visit us.
This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided.
