Ovary Pain

Ovary pain symptoms might be obvious, but they can also be mistaken for other pains. These symptoms can also be caused by a variety of conditions. If you’re suffering and want to know what might be causing your pain, then you’ll want to know about not only your symptoms, but also about your ovaries. You need to know when ovary pain is a harmless, tiny follicular cyst versus something like ovarian cancer.

Let’s take a look at the role your ovaries play in your body, as well as the symptoms of ovarian pain issues.

Ovaries in Your Body

Your ovaries are important to your reproductive system. What do they do, though? They have two primary duties: to release an egg each month and produce hormones that would support fertilization. If the egg isn’t fertilized, the hormones will trigger menstruation.

Ovary Pain Symptoms

Your ovaries are located in the lower part of your abdomen, below your belly-button. When you have ovary pain, you’ll feel it in the lower abdomen and pelvic area. This is separate from the normal monthly pain that most women feel during menstruation.

Ovary pain symptoms, however, can occur at times other than your time of the month. If you are in pain, it’s imperative that you see your physician or gynecologist to find out it is something simple or something that needs immediate medical attention.

When you visit your medical professional, here are some questions you may be asked:

• When did the pain start?
• Where exactly do you feel the pain?
• How often does it hurt – once a month, once a week, daily, other?
• How does it feel like? Is it sharp, burning, achy or just mild?
• Does activity make the pain better? Worse? What activities cause or alleviate the pain?
• Does the ovary pain affect your everyday life? If so, how?

Some causes of ovary pain can be due to ovarian cancer as well as a torsion or a  rupture caused by a complex ovarian cyst or even a harmless tiny follicular ovarian cyst. But it’s up to you to get to your doctor, so that you can be diagnosed.

Ovarian Cyst Symptoms

What’s a cyst, anyway? A cyst is a sac that’s filled with fluid, and in reality, cysts are common in women. A cyst can form when, during ovulation, an egg isn’t released. A cyst can also form when the follicle (sac) that holds the egg doesn’t dissolve when it should. These cysts are usually harmless and don’t usually cause any symptoms, unless one is twisted or if it ruptures.

While ovarian cyst symptoms might be absent, here are some associated with the cysts:

• Pain during bowel movements or during intercourse.
• Bloating.
• Nausea or vomiting; also feeling full after a small amount of food.
• Irregular periods.

Ovarian Cancer Symptoms

Sometimes cysts can form into tumors, with the end result being ovarian cancer. These tumors can be benign or malignant.

Some symptoms of ovarian cancer are as follows:

• An urgent need to urinate.
• Constipation or diarrhea.
• Appetite loss.
• Unusual weight gain or weight loss.
• Bloating.

Diagnosing Ovary Pain Symptoms

In order to diagnose ovary pain symptoms, you really do need to schedule a visit to your doctor if you are suffering from ovarian pain, as he or she will need to diagnose it. Two standard methods of diagnosis are a manual pelvic exam and an ultrasound.

Only your doctor can determine what is causing the pain. And once you know why you have it, then you can discuss your treatment options.