Reasons why the ovary may hurt before, during and after menstruation

When the ovaries hurt severely during menstruation, a woman completely loses her ability to work. She feels aching discomfort in her sides, lumbar region and abdomen. The occurrence of unpleasant sensations during menstruation is a normal physiological phenomenon, but sometimes they can be unbearable. Therefore, it is important to understand what causes severe pain.

When does the menstrual cycle begin and what does it depend on?

Menstrual cycle translated from Latin means “lunar, monthly.” The first day of menstruation is considered its beginning.

As a rule, for most girls this occurs between the ages of 12 and 15. There are also cases of early menarche (from 9 years to 15 years) - primary amenorrhea. This is also considered normal.

Menstruation stops at the age of 40-58 years. A woman's reproductive function declines. This period is called menopause. At first, menstruation becomes irregular and then stops altogether.

The onset of the menstrual cycle and the time at which menopause occurs depend on several factors:

Hereditary predisposition. As a rule, the beginning of the first menstruation, as well as its end, may slightly coincide with that of the mother or grandmother.
General health of the woman.
Ecological situation. It is no secret that environmental factors influence the health of the body, and therefore all its functions.
Nutritional features. Doctors note that excessive thinness and constant adherence to strict diets can contribute to the delayed appearance of menstruation or their complete absence.

Heredity in this case is the main factor. However, given the acceleration of the modern generation, it is not surprising that menarche may occur a little earlier than for a mother or grandmother. Also, some diseases and surgical interventions have a great impact, as a result of which the ovaries hurt during menstruation.

If menstruation does not occur until the age of 17-18, this may be a sign of serious developmental disorders. It is urgent to visit a gynecologist and undergo the necessary examination.

What happens during the menstrual cycle

This cycle can be divided into several stages.

Follicular.
Formation of the corpus luteum.

At the first stage, in the first days of menstruation, the level of estrogen in the blood decreases significantly. And this is a signal to the hypothalamus that it is necessary to increase the release of follicle-stimulating hormones. They reach the ovaries and stimulate the production of estrogen. These hormones depend on each other: the more one is released, the more the other is stimulated.

Estrogens are responsible for the development and growth of follicles and eggs. The duration of this stage is individual for each woman. But it is known that the time during which the follicle matures determines the duration of a woman’s entire cycle. Therefore, all other phases are equal in duration to the period of follicle maturation. The average cycle length is believed to be 28 days. This means that the follicle matures in approximately 14 days. But the cycle can be longer, for example, 30 or even 31 days.

The ovarian wall in the place where the follicle matures becomes very thin. The follicle matures until it ruptures and releases an egg. This process is called ovulation.

At the second stage, a corpus luteum begins to form in place of the ruptured follicle. It promotes the release of hormones that prepare the uterus for possible pregnancy. These are estradiol and progesterone. This phase is the same in duration for almost everyone and usually lasts two weeks.

Then there are two possible scenarios for the development of events.

If fertilization has occurred, the corpus luteum will grow until the placenta is formed. The amount of hormones will also increase. If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum will shrink until it degenerates into scar tissue. Accordingly, the amount of hormones will decrease, and not increase, as in the opposite case. And when their production stops, the ahormonal phase will begin, or, as it is also called, “zero”. At this time, menstruation begins.

Main reasons

Discomfort can occur in one or two ovaries at the same time. Often such sensations are irregular and directly depend on menstruation. It should be remembered that pain is not a disease, but one of the symptoms of hormonal imbalance in the body. In addition, this may be evidence of the development of gynecological diseases.

Painful sensations can also occur during ovulation, which is characterized by the movement of the egg after the rupture of the follicle. In this case, there is no need to worry, because we are talking about a natural physiological process.

It happens that the ovaries are pulled before menstruation or in their first days. This is quite normal and is due to a decrease in estrogen in the blood, as well as the process of endometrial detachment.

What affects the length of menstruation

Menstruation usually lasts 3-5 days. Menstrual bleeding is a transitional phase from one menstrual cycle to another.

The amount of hormones in the blood decreases sharply, the blood supply to the endometrium is insufficient as a result, and the mucous membrane begins to exfoliate and tear away from the uterus. And since this cannot happen at the same time, the “pleasure” is delayed and takes several days. During this period, women often ask the question: “Why do the ovaries hurt during menstruation?” We will definitely answer it, just a little later.

What affects the duration of menstruation and the menstrual cycle:

Taking oral contraceptives.
Somatic diseases.
Stressful situations.
Physical exercise.
Nutritional features.

The female body is very sensitive to all of the above factors.
Unfortunately, not every woman can say exactly when her period will come for the first time. But then, if you keep a calendar, it is quite possible to calculate the approximate start and end dates of critical days. However, we are concerned not only with the duration of this process, but also with the pain that occurs these days. A very common complaint among women during this period is pain in the lower abdomen, and many experience pain in their ovaries during menstruation.

Discomfort during menstruation

Often, pain during menstruation indicates the development of pathology in the uterus. Before the onset of menstruation, the amount of endometrium increases. This is the body's reaction to the possible occurrence of pregnancy. If fertilization does not occur, the epithelium begins to peel off and come out, as a result of which menstruation begins.

To facilitate the release of the epithelium, the uterus begins to contract faster, which can also cause pain. The more often and more intensely it contracts, the stronger the pain syndrome. This period in the life of many women is very difficult, interfering with normal life activities. Some are forced to take painkillers and antispasmodics, sometimes in the form of an injection.

It is noteworthy that during menstruation, pain occurs quite rarely; their causes can be different, sometimes not related to the human reproductive system. This phenomenon requires contacting a doctor.

Cause of pain in the lower abdomen

About 60-70% of women complain about such unpleasant and painful sensations during menstruation. In 10% of cases, the pain is so intense that it significantly affects the general condition and ability to work. Representatives of the fair sex often ask the question: “Can the ovary hurt during menstruation? Maybe it’s the uterus hurting from contractions?” Let's try to figure it out, but first let's look at what type of pain there can be and what can cause it.

Pain may be:

Aching.
Cramping.

The following conditions may occur:

Nausea.
Vomit.
General malaise.
Headache.
Discomfort in the lower back.
Increased body temperature.
Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract.

Spasmodic pain that appears on the first day of menstruation most often disappears after childbirth. Aching ones can bother you until menopause. But, as a rule, pain of any nature goes away on the 2-3rd day of menstruation.

What can cause pain:

Difficulty in the flow of menstrual fluid and, as a result, increased contractions of the uterus.
Psychological stress.
Physical fatigue.
Somatic diseases.
Increased sensitivity to your own sex hormones.
Various diseases of the reproductive system.

However, very often women complain that their ovaries hurt during menstruation. If such symptoms appear, then you need to visit a specialist. He will conduct an examination to find out the cause of this condition.

Pain syndrome during pregnancy

Pregnancy is the most significant event in a woman’s life. Everyone dreams of a healthy baby and an ideal pregnancy. However, in life, not everything happens as we would like. Sometimes during pregnancy, a woman experiences pain in the ovaries, which leads to nervous conditions and panic.

It should be remembered that during the development of the fetus, all organs of the female body are displaced. They may be in completely atypical places. For example, the ovaries are displaced higher than they should be located.

Often the pain is due to the fact that all the organs that are involved in bearing and giving birth to a child are under tension. They have a heavy burden placed on them and they signal to the woman that “not everything is so easy.” This is a completely normal situation, and worries are premature.

To combat this discomfort, you should follow simple rules:

Healthy food;
walk more in the fresh air and relax;
try to get nervous as little as possible over trifles;
Do gymnastics and exercises regularly. In this case, yoga for pregnant women is well suited.

These recommendations should be followed if pain began to appear during pregnancy, and before that there was no discomfort. In other cases, pain may be a consequence of the development of inflammation, cysts or tumors. If alarming symptoms appear, you should immediately visit your doctor.

Why do the ovaries hurt during menstruation?

The reasons may be serious or not at all dangerous.

If a woman feels pain, this is normal; doctors call this phenomenon ovulatory syndrome. Discomfort is common and does not cause concern. But to make sure (if your ovaries hurt during your period) that you do not have any pathologies, it is better to consult a doctor.

The causes of pain may not be harmless at all. Let's highlight some of them:

Hormonal balance is disrupted.
There are inflammatory diseases of the genital organs.
Presence of tumor formations.
The ovaries often hurt during menstruation if a woman has an anomaly in the development and location of the internal genital organs.
Violation of the monthly cycle.

Very often, women complain that pain in the ovaries is not observed on both sides, but mainly on one. Next, we will discuss what could be causing this.

What exactly hurts?

First you need to understand whether the uterus or ovaries hurt during menstruation. It is also necessary to distinguish pain in them from diseases of other organs not related to the reproductive system.

To understand whether an ovary or something else is aching, you need to figure out where a woman’s internal genital organs are located. The gonads and uterus are compactly located in the lower abdomen of a woman. Their location is below the waist, on the line of the pelvic bones or slightly above. The ovaries are attached to the uterus on both sides. The right one is larger than the left one, larger and higher located. The left one, on the contrary, is lowered and is located a little closer to the uterus. Such proportions and features of placement in the body are natural and do not affect the functioning of the reproductive system. If you assume that the ovary hurts, you need to focus on this location of the organs in the body. Pain varies in severity and characteristics. It moves slightly further from the location of the organ. Pain in the gonads is felt in the abdomen and lower back. These nuances are due to the distinctive features of specific diseases and conditions.

Ovarian pain on the right during menstruation

As we know, the ovaries are a paired organ. And pain in one of them can be a very dangerous symptom.

Here are some reasons why the right ovary hurts during menstruation:

Polycystic. On an ultrasound it will look like a ball filled with small balls - these are small cysts. A very common disease.
Inflammatory process in the appendage of the right ovary.
Adnexitis of the right ovary. The pain in this case can cover not only the right side, but also radiate to the lower back.
Tumor process. In the early stages, it can be practically asymptomatic, but if pathology develops, the pain will be stable.

If the right ovary hurts during menstruation, and these pains are stable, it is necessary to undergo an examination by a gynecologist to find out the true cause. This is the only way to choose effective treatment and cope with discomfort.

But it happens that the question: “Why does the right ovary hurt during menstruation?” the answer may be acute appendicitis. Therefore, if you have very severe pain, you should consult your doctor immediately.

A little more about the ovaries

The ovary itself consists of connective fibers intertwined with blood vessels and a cluster of follicles covered with connective tissue. The average size of each of them is 8 cubic centimeters, and may vary at different periods of the cycle. For example, the ovaries enlarge before menstruation.

These organs are located along the lateral parts of the small pelvis, connected to the fallopian tubes and fixed by ligaments riddled with nerves and vessels. This is where pain comes from, not associated with any illness. Organs change throughout a woman’s life, starting from the prenatal period. Their development has two directions: regular cyclic and irreversible. The first occurs from the beginning of each menstruation until the last day before the next. The second is determined by the functions of the ovaries - the release of the follicle and the formation of an egg from it. Organs are their repository, as well as producers of hormones - estrogens, progestins and some androgens. The number of follicles in a 10-week embryo reaches one million. From this period it decreases and by about 45 years there is not a single one left.

Ovarian pain on the left during menstruation

What if the left ovary hurts during menstruation? Since the organ is a pair, the reasons can be identified almost the same. Let's repeat them:

Inflammation of the ovaries.
Inflammation of the appendage.
Polycystic disease.
Fluid retention in the follicle causes so-called ovulatory pain.
Stimulation with hormonal drugs. In this case, the ovaries can become greatly enlarged, and the corpus luteum becomes cyst-like, which will cause pain in the ovary.

If you do not undergo treatment in a timely manner and do not eliminate the cause (this applies to inflammatory processes), this may result in infertility.

Let's go to the doctor

When finding out the reason why the ovaries hurt very much during menstruation, it is necessary to take into account not only the woman’s age, but also the kind of life she leads. Such pain can bother not only women, but also girls whose menstrual cycle has not yet begun. Hypothermia can cause the development of an inflammatory process in the ovaries even in childhood.

If your ovaries hurt during menstruation, you should consult a gynecologist. For diagnosis you will need:

Get an ultrasound.
Get tested for hormones.
Take a blood test.

After the examination, the doctor may ask you the following questions:

What type of pain in the ovaries: aching or paroxysmal?
Where is the pain most often localized?
How often does she appear?
How long do pain attacks last?
Is there vomiting or nausea during attacks of pain?
Do you have any somatic diseases or other chronic pathologies?

By analyzing the patient’s answers and examination results, the doctor will be able to determine the cause of the pathology and prescribe the correct treatment. Only competent therapy, carried out to the end, will help you get rid of pain in the ovaries during menstruation.

Is it normal or not - how to understand

The following situation is considered normal:

the ovary hurts about a week before menstruation;
the pain is regular and not acute;
over time, the girl forgets about the problem until the first days of the cycle;
the pain may continue with the onset of menstruation, but it is not so noticeable against the background of other symptoms of menstruation;
Sometimes the pain can be very strong, but it shouldn’t be that way. It is advisable to consult a gynecologist, especially if there was more than one attack;
the results of clinical examinations do not show any pathology.

In all other cases, painful sensations require observation by a doctor, because they are not considered normal. Only taking tests together with an examination of the body will help determine why the ovary colitis before menstruation, if your situation does not fit into the framework of the norm described above.

There are times when, shortly before the start of menstruation, not only the ovaries hurt, but also minor bleeding appears. This is not a reason to panic, because such manifestations of the normal functioning of the female body are allowed. If the blood continues to flow, and even profusely, then you need to visit a doctor.

Pain in the ovary before menstruation may have causes that are far from the natural functioning of the body. Pain towards the end of the cycle is not considered normal if it is accompanied by warning symptoms.

Increased body temperature.
Fever.
Nausea with dizziness.
Chills.
Aching bones all over the body.
Other alarming symptoms characteristic of various pathologies.

Physiological reasons

Ovulatory syndrome is a set of symptoms that appear during the ovulatory phase of the monthly cycle. During ovulation, the follicle wall ruptures. Women who have a low pain threshold may at this moment feel aching and pulling in the lower abdomen, mainly on one side, because only one egg matures in one cycle.

Another reason why the ovaries hurt is the shedding of a small amount of blood into the peritoneum when the microvessels feeding the follicle are damaged. Blood is a strong irritant, which is why the stomach and lower back hurt, and spotting appears.

If the cause of pain before menstruation is physiological, then the discomfort is usually not severe. The pain lasts no longer than a day, but usually goes away within a few hours without taking painkillers.

Pathological causes

Pain in the ovaries before menstruation can be a symptom of pathological processes in the reproductive organs:

Adnexitis is inflammation of the ovaries. The causative agents can be staphylococci, streptococci, gonococci, which penetrate upward through the genital tract, or tuberculous mycobacteria, carried by the bloodstream. The provoking factor is hypothermia and weakened immunity.
Apoplexy is rupture of ovarian tissue. It can develop spontaneously at the time of ovulation when the follicle ruptures. It is provoked by heavy lifting, sports activities, and sudden withdrawal of hormonal medications. With apoplexy, the stomach hurts on the right side, because most often it is the right ovary that ruptures.
A cyst is a bubble of fluid that appears in the structure of the ovary. There are follicular, luteal, and endometrioid. If the cause of the pain is a cyst, the pain intensifies during sexual intercourse. Sharp, severe pain may indicate a ruptured cyst.

As a rule, if the cause of pain before menstruation is pathological, then the discomfort lasts a long time, it can only be relieved with the help of painkillers. It is often accompanied by painful urination, high fever, and nausea.

Apoplexy

It is characterized by a suddenly appearing condition in which the integrity of the ovarian membrane is disrupted and is accompanied by rapid progressive hemorrhage into the appendage.

When a large vessel is damaged, blood enters the abdominal cavity. Rupture of the vessels of the Graf's vesicle, the site of egg development, causes severe acute pain and can lead to massive blood loss.

The right ovary is most susceptible to this disease. Girls complain of frequent urination and the urge to have a bowel movement. The treatment is emergency surgery.

Ovarian cyst

It is a neoplasm in the form of a cavity with thin walls, filled with liquid secretion; it is capable of growing, which entails an increase in volume.

Most cysts do not contain cancer cells, disappear on their own and do not require medication. The most common type is the follicular type, the cause of which is an unbursted follicle during the maturation of the egg in it.

Fluid continues to accumulate there, turning into a cystic sac. The course may be without visible changes; ultrasound and clinical blood tests are used to detect it.

A cyst rupture creates a dangerous situation for a woman’s life, because... Bleeding begins to develop rapidly inside. In this incident, the patient is urgently taken to the hospital for appropriate measures.

Ovarian torsion

The anatomical picture looks like this: the diseased organ twists or bends around its pedicle connecting it to the uterus. Subsequently, the vessels are pinched, the blood supply and venous outflow are reduced, and the appendage swells.

Ischemia develops, which leads to necrosis and pelvioperitonitis. A complete or partial version of the pathology, a sharp or gradual increase, is possible. The pain is stabbing, grasping, and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, and a general deterioration of the condition.

Often occur in children during adolescence, people leading an active lifestyle, when playing sports, as well as in expectant mothers.

Polycystic

The disease appears as a result of a violation of ovarian steroidogenesis, in which female estrogen dysfunction occurs and male hormones androgens are produced in excess.

At the same time, their anatomy changes - the surface is covered with many small bubbles with liquid. It can be primary (genetic predisposition directly influences here) and secondary (manifests as a combination of different factors, it is also called polycystic ovary syndrome).

The work of the constituent structures of the endocrine system is disrupted: the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, adrenal glands, pancreas. Complications of the disease include diabetes, obesity and other hormonal diseases.

Adnexit

This is an inflammation of the appendages and fallopian tubes, often having a unilateral effect. Bilateral salpingo-oophoritis occurs in cases of multiple types of infection or neglected treatment.

The causative agents are various microorganisms (Escherichia coli, staphylococci, streptococci, sexually transmitted viruses). It occurs against the background of decreased immunity as a result of illness, surgery, metabolic disorders, and hypothermia.

Causes ectopic pregnancy and female infertility. It occurs in acute and chronic forms, has general and local symptoms.

Ectopic location of the ovum

There are situations when the embryo does not develop inside the uterine cavity, but is localized in the fallopian tube, ovary, abdominal area and cervix.

The occurrence of acute pain in the left or right appendage with scanty vaginal leucorrhoea indicates its attachment to a specific organ.

According to medical data, tubal ectopic pregnancy is mainly diagnosed, which is usually terminated no later than the end of the first trimester.

Severe pain in the ovarian area

If the ovary hurts severely during menstruation, and this is accompanied by symptoms such as elevated body temperature, general weakness, a sharp decrease in blood pressure, nausea (including vomiting), it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. Such signs may indicate the following pathological conditions:

Apoplexy and ovarian rupture.
Purulent process - peritonitis.
Perhaps the cyst burst or its legs were torsioned.
Ectopic pregnancy.
Development of acute appendicitis.

Particular attention should be drawn to pulsating pain, which may indicate torsion of the pedicle of the ovarian cyst. This creates the feeling that these are ordinary menstrual pains. It is necessary to be attentive to this kind of discomfort and better listen to your body.

What to do and how to help yourself

If you have already visited a doctor and know that the cause of your pain in the ovaries lies in simple ovulatory syndrome, then you can use remedies that will alleviate your condition.

Each woman has her own ways of relieving spasms. So, for example, you can:

Apply an ice pack to your lower abdomen and a hot heating pad to your legs.
Drink some alcohol to relax.
Drink plenty of water, about 8-10 glasses a day.
Eliminate caffeine and sugar from your diet, and reduce your fat intake.
Take hot peppermint or raspberry tea.
Alternate cold and hot sitz baths (the procedure makes it easy to cope with stagnant processes in the pelvic cavity).
Painkillers may be taken.

I would like to note that a woman can do a lot to prevent ovarian pain by taking care of herself. Experts recommend:

Avoid stressful situations.
Eat properly.
Lead a healthy lifestyle.
Observe the work and rest schedule.
To refuse from bad habits.
Do not lift heavy objects.
Dress warmly in the cold season.
Do not swim in cold water.
Use a condom when changing partners.
Keep personal hygiene products clean.
Correctly and promptly treat inflammatory diseases.
Regularly undergo preventive examinations with a gynecologist.

If you often worry about ovulatory syndrome, one way to get rid of such pain is to get pregnant. As practice shows, many women after childbirth got rid of pain during menstruation. But this is purely individual in each individual case, so there is no single recipe for cure. Take care of yourself and be healthy!

Symptoms and signs of ovulatory syndrome

It is very important for a woman to be able to distinguish the signs and symptoms of the onset of ovulatory syndrome, so as not to confuse it with other problems, gynecological diseases that require the intervention of a doctor, diagnosis and treatment.

Main clinical manifestations, symptoms and

signs of ovulatory syndrome in women, which is sometimes accompanied by mild pain in the ovaries, and sometimes by severe pain in them, are: scanty discharge during menstruation, which is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, nagging pain appears in the ovarian area. Also, the symptoms of ovulatory syndrome are: a couple of days before the start of menstruation, one of the ovaries begins to hurt, pain in both ovaries at the same time is also possible. Symptoms of ovulatory syndrome are when bloody vaginal discharge is accompanied by constant, regular pain in the ovaries. Women often simply endure such pain in the lower abdomen in the area of the uterine appendages. Doctors recommend that you still come to an appointment with a gynecologist so that he can diagnose the woman’s condition, identify the absence of any pathological conditions and determine that such regular pain in the ovaries is a consequence of ovulatory syndrome. Pain in the ovaries before the onset of menstruation should not be ignored.

Many women, thinking that they have simple symptoms of ovulatory syndrome, do not notice the signs of the development of the disease, as a result of which they miss the moment when treatment of a gynecological disease could take place very quickly and without painful symptoms.