Mittelschmerz or Painful Ovulation in Women

If you're anything like me you are probably thinking Mittelschmerz sounds like a silly, made up name in a children's book. But, the truth is, for women who deal with Mittelschmerz, it isn't a laughing matter. It is painful. I know, because I live with it.

Mittelschmerz, which is German for "middle pain", is a condition that occurs when women are ovulating. If you have severe cramping or sharp pain in your pelvis or lower abdomen about halfway through your cycle - usually around 14 days before your next menstrual period - you may be experiencing Mittelschmerz.

I was an eighteen-year old college student when I had my first experience with Mittelschmerz. I was working the closing shift at the local grocery store the night an unexpected stabbing pain started in my lower abdomen. I'm not talking about your regular menstrual cramps either. I had dealt with those since my early teens, so I knew what cramps felt like. Plus, it was not that time of the month. At first, I tried to ignore the pain and kept working. It didn't work very well. Instead of weakening after a few minutes, it became worse. The pain became so severe it doubled me over at my register. Since the pain was on my lower right abdomen and it wouldn't subside, the store manager was concerned it may be appendicitis and had one of my coworkers drive me to the emergency room. Six hours, a few medical examinations, and hundreds of dollars later, I found out it was Mittelschmerz causing my pain. What I was feeling was my egg dropping during ovulation.

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately twenty percent of all ovulating women experience some degree of Mittleschmerz. Some women experience painful ovulation once every few months, and some never feel it at all. I have felt it every month for almost twenty years, except for during my two pregnancies and when I was on birth control pills.

In fact, if Mittleschmerz causes you severe pain your doctor may suggest putting you on an oral contraceptive to help. Birth control pills stop ovulation, which prevents Mittelschmerz since it only occurs when the egg is released from the ovary during ovulation. That's also the reason why Mittelschmerz doesn't happen to women while they are pregnant. Ovulation doesn't occur during pregnancy either.

For the instances when the pain of Mittelschmerz is uncomfortable, I have found that heat seems to help with the pain. The heat relaxes the muscles and lessens cramping, so try soaking in a warm bath or applying a heating pad to the area where the pain is. Over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen may also offer some relief.

The good news is most cases of Mittelschmerz are not serious or harmful to a woman's body. The condition also does not indicate the presence of more serious disease. If, however, your pain becomes excessive or lasts for more than a day or two, or it is accompanied by a fever, heavy bleeding or nausea, please contact your physician. They may be signs of a more serious condition such as pelvic inflammatory disease or appendicitis.

Other articles on women's health by this author:
"The Best Time to Get Pregnant: Understanding Your Body and Its Ovulation Cycle"
"5 Healthy, Power Foods Pregnant Women Should Eat"
"Coping with Pregnancy Symptoms Present in the First Week"

Resources:
"Mittelschmerz" on Mayo Clinic
"Mittelschmerz" by Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
"Mittelschmerz (Painful Ovulation)" by Cleveland Clinic