I often get sudden pains in my lower abdomen in between my menstrual cycles. The pain only lasts a few hours, but it’s usually enough for me to need to an over the counter pain medication. Is this something I should be worried about?

If you have seen a medical professional and had other abdominal abnormality’s ruled out then this pain could be a simple case of ovulation pain. The pain is not harmful and usually requires no medical treatment, but an over the counter pain reliever like you had mentioned can ease the pain.

Mid cycle pain in your lower abdomen or pelvis can be quite normal for many women. This pain called Mittelschmerz or middle pain, which is caused by ovulation. This pain is experienced by only about 20% of women, but it may not occur every cycle. Middle pain can start suddenly and last anywhere between a few hours to 2-3 days. This pain can present on just one side and switch each cycle depending on which ovary is releasing the egg.

It is thought that middle pain may be caused by a variety of reasons. One is follicular swelling. The follicle or egg is stored in your ovaries prior to ovulation. Only one or two eggs will mature enough to be released, but during this phase of maturation many follicles could grow causing pressure on the ovary’s. This may be the reason for ovulation pain to be present on both sides.

Another theory is that since ovaries have no opening, the mature egg must break through and rupture the ovarian wall. It is also known that after the release of an egg the fallopian tubes contract which may be caused for ovulation pain to be prolonged. Irritation is thought to cause pain in some cases. Once ovulation occurs blood or other fluid can be introduced to the abdominal lining causing pain.

This ovulation pain can be useful to women who are string to conceive. Often used as a secondary sign while charting ovulation. A rise in your basal temperature and the presence of fertile egg white like mucus can confirm the source of the pain.

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