Stinging in the ovaries are one of the symptoms that most affect the female reproductive system and are often accompanied by cramps, widespread pain in the lower abdomen, swelling sensation, more or less abundant vaginal discharge, back and kidney pain, water retention, nausea, headache, rise in body temperature, irritability, swollen belly , diarrhea, bloating and a feeling of fatigue.
Reading this list of symptoms it is easy to find all types of manifestations that loom in conjunction with menstruation and ovulation, the two key moments in a woman’s ovarian and menstrual cycle. Therefore, these are very widespread symptoms to the point that every woman of childbearing age has a clear sense of pain and discomfort caused by these disorders.
In light of what we have seen so far, the twinges in the ovaries, in most cases, although unpleasant, do not constitute an event to be worried about, in fact they fall within a sphere of manifestations linked to completely physiological processes.
In other cases, however, the pain if very acute, persistent, if it is associated with weight gain, the appearance of hair on the face and body, too abundant and irregular menstrual flows, can be the indicator of a gynecological problem that can compromise the women’s health and fertility.
Provided the main information on the painful twinges in the ovaries , and on the symptoms that can be associated, we can proceed by illustrating the most common causes at the base of this disorder.

What are the main causes of ovarian twinges

Ovulation
Represents the time when ovarian twinges are the symptommore widespread, and are located in particular in only one of the two ovaries, which corresponds to the one in which the mature oocyte is produced.
In painful ovulation , ovarian disease is then associated with vaginal discharge, which in physiological conditions are transparent or opalescent, with a filamentous appearance and mucous consistency. Ovulation corresponds to the period of maximum fertility within the ovarian cycle and generally occurs on the 14th day after the last menstruation, indicating that the egg produced is mature and ready for fertilization, if it comes into contact with one sperm.

Menstruation
The time when menstruation begins, so when the menstrual flow appears. It coincides with the onset of cramps in the lower abdomen, pangs of pain in the ovaries (usually the pain occurs only in one ovary for each cycle), to which are added other symptoms such as back and kidney pain, water retention, swollen belly , rise in body temperature, bloating, irritability and mood depression.
These symptoms can actually anticipate the onset of blood by a couple of days, or as the case may be, by just a few hours, and may persist until the flow is over or until after the cycle .

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
The canons for defining this condition are many, and among these we have: pain intended as dull or sharp in the lower abdomen and stinging in the ovaries that occur in a period that can precede the menstrual cycle by two weeks, and then lessen at the onset of menstrual flow. If it is PMS, the pains disappear completely from the moment of menstruation until the moment of ovulation.

Pregnancy
During the early stages of pregnancy , especially in the period following fertilization, one of the most felt symptoms is localized pain in one or both ovaries, which manifests itself as twitching even of an intense and piercing degree.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
It is a pathological condition that arises as a result of an infection in the tubes, ovary and endometrium, caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Symptoms of this disease are fever, generally above 38 ° C, pain localized in the pelvic area with stabbing and stabbing pains in the ovaries and still presence of mucous and purulent secretions.
These can be associated with problems of greater clinical interest such as infertility and the onset of chronic pains in the lower abdomen that are difficult to resolve, so intense as to negatively compromise the patient’s quality of life, limiting her activities and often forcing her to bed for long periods. Pain in the case of PID is not related to menstrual flow and for the diagnosis to be made the pain generally must persist for a period of 6 months or more.
At the origin of this disorder there are promoting factors, such as poor hygiene and sexual promiscuity without means of precaution.

Endometriosis Endometriosis
_and a pathological process that affects the ovary and its possible consequences include a drastic reduction in fertility, very intense menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea), manifestation of pain after penetrative sexual intercourse and chronic pain in the lower abdomen ( or pelvis).
It is a rather common phenomenon, so much so that it affects 12-15% of women of childbearing age, in which there is the presence of cells of the endometrium (component of the uterus) located outside their normal anatomical location. . Among the sites of implantation of these cells the most frequent are the ovary, the uterine ligaments, the uterine tubes but also the peritoneum, the intestine and the vermiform appendix. Also in this case there are predisposing factors to the disorder, both of a genetic, hormonal and immunological nature.
The symptom most felt is pain, even if in some subjects endometriosis remains silent, in many cases the pains in the lower abdomen are very intense, manifesting themselves as twitching in the ovaries, sensation of pins and needles and stabbing pains spread throughout the lower abdomen. Endometriosis is a condition susceptible to hormonal changes, therefore the phenomenon occurs in conjunction with the menstrual flow, resulting in inflammatory processes.

Ovarian cysts
These are benign formations caused by an altered maturation of the ovarian follicles, and are divided into:

  • Follicular cysts: formations containing liquid, arise by hormonal stimulation during the phases of the cycle and generally tend to regress in a short time, usually only one menstrual cycle is enough. They can remain asymptomatic, or cause pain and aching in the ovaries ;
  • Luteal cysts: they also tend to regress, but take a longer time, usually 2 or more menstrual cycles. Also in this case the pain can manifest itself as quite intense or be completely absent.

Polycystic ovary syndrome
Situation in which numerous cysts appear on the ovary, due to an increase in the production of masculinizing hormones (androgens), and which, on an aesthetic level, involve the appearance of unsightly hair on the face and body (condition called hirsutism), acne and overweight.
It is a rather common disorder, it leads to a drastic reduction in menstrual cycles that appear only 2-3 times over the course of a year, also determining repercussions on women’s fertility. Women with polycystic ovaries are more prone to developing diabetes and obesity.

Tumors of the ovary
Also known as ovarian cancer, it is typical of women who have entered menopause, and occurs between 55 and 60 years of age. Generally, ovarian cancer does not cause relevant symptoms, except in the advanced stages of the disease, at which time there is intense pain in the pelvis and stinging in the ovaries .
As with many other types of cancer, the factors promoting its development are hormonal and genetic, but also linked to a diet rich in fats and proteins, alcohol abuse, smoking and obesity.

Diagnosis: who to contact and what to do
We have seen how in most cases the pangs of pain are to be referred to completely physiological events such as ovulationand menstruation, both crucial phases of a woman’s fertile age that occur on a monthly basis.
If the pain is tolerable, it does not prevent you from carrying out your activities and if it is associated with all those symptoms seen above typical of PMS, or female cyclic events, there is no need to be alarmed, generally simple remedies such as bags are useful. hot water applied to the pelvic area, or a hot bath, associated with proper hydration and a diet rich in vitamins and minerals (fruit and vegetables).
These measures are often useful in countering the onset of cyclic pain. After consulting a doctor, it is possible to take anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers that help to counteract the symptoms and soothe the pain.
If the pangs occur in the absence of menstrual flow, and following unprotected sexual intercourse, it is possible to consider the hypothesis of a pregnancy , and thus proceed to undergo a specific test to confirm or deny.
On the other hand, when the pains in the ovaries are very intense, they limit daily activities and are associated with symptoms such as weight gain, hirsutism, the appearance of acne and frequent or prolonged pain, it is necessary to undergo a specialist visit in gynecology.
The gynecologist, after carrying out an accurate anamnesis (collection of all the symptoms reported by the patient), usually proceeds with a visit of the abdomen and pelvis by palpation, evaluating the presence of swellings, masses, points of pain and consistencies.
On the basis of the diagnostic suspicions, the doctor can perform a cervico-vaginal swab, urine collection, a transvaginal ultrasound to evaluate the state of health of the uterine tubes, ovaries, endometrium and peritoneum or even a laparoscopy.

What are the most effective therapies
The therapies depend on the triggering cause of the disorder, therefore it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions provided by the gynecologist, avoiding in any case to undertake the use of remedies based on one’s own beliefs or on the advice of an article read on the internet.
The consequence of these choices could lead to irreversible outcomes, worsening one’s health or compromising one’s fertility.
Generally the therapies are pharmacological in nature, and for example, in the case of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) the treatment focuses on relieving the painful symptoms, therefore generally analgesic drugs, such as paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are administered, and , in cases of very intense and disabling pain, hormonal, antidepressant and neuropathic treatments can also be added.
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