by Melody St. John

Created on: November 06, 2011   Last Updated: November 10, 2011

Mittelschmerz is a medical condition characterized by pain on one side of the lower abdominal area. This condition affects only women as it is associated with ovulation or the release of egg (ovum) from the ovary. If you find the term somewhat foreign and difficult to pronounce, spell or remember, that’s because mittelschmerz is a German word which means “middle pain.”

Otherwise called mid-cycle pain or ovulation pain, mittelschmerz occurs midway through a woman’s menstrual cycle - about 14 days prior to her next menstruation - when ovulation takes place. Thus, the pain may be felt on the left side if the left ovary is the one releasing an egg; or it may be felt on the right side if the right ovary is involved. The pain is usually described as sharp, cramp-like and distinct, and may last for a few minutes to a few hours; but could persist for about 24 to 48 hours.

The pain associated with mittelschmerz is usually mild and goes away without any treatment. But if the discomfort you feel lasts for a few minutes, you may try some simple home remedies. You may try soaking in a hot bath or apply a heating pad on the side of your abdomen where pain is felt. Heat acts to improve blood circulation, relax tense muscles and relieve cramping, so this home remedy may be effective.

But mittelschmerz could persist for several hours and become more severe in spite of the heat compress or a hot bath. If this is the case, you may need to take over-the-counter pain medications to alleviate the pain. Over-the-counter analgesics or pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol), aspirin, ibuprofen (i.e. Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve) usually help relieve mittelschmerz pain. Mefenamic acid (i.e. Ponstel) is also popularly used in the treatment of menstrual pain.

But if you experience a more severe case of mittelschmerz, that is, almost every month you suffer from this condition and your symptoms usually persist for several hours, you may need to consult your doctor for proper evaluation. Your doctor may discuss with you the option of taking a birth control pill or oral contraceptive. Since oral contraceptives prevent ovulation and mittelschmerz is associated with ovulation, these pills could prevent this condition as it only occurs if an egg is released from an ovary.

Although mittelschmerz can cause so much pain, it is not harmful and it is usually not associated with any complications. The condition is not a marker of disease. As a matter of fact, it could be advantageous for women planning to get pregnant or avoiding pregnancy because they have a good idea of when they’re ovulating, as pregnancy is likely to take place just before, or immediately after ovulation, or on the day of ovulation itself.  

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