Right Ovary Pain

There are a number of causes of abdomen pain that may seem like right ovary pain, but might not be. In this article we'll limit our focus to the less-than-obvious. By less than obvious, we mean pain of a mysterious or uncertain nature that occurs in the area of the right ovary.

We won't, however, list conditions that can be easily diagnosed like pain from trauma, accident or surgery. Keep in mind, that sometimes pain doesn't come from a single cause, even if it seems to occur in a single location. This article may help enlighten you about possibilities, but in the end, your doctor is your best source for information about right ovary pain.

Also keep in mind that you may describe your pain as right ovary pain, when in fact, it may have nothing to do with your right ovary. The pain could be caused by some other disorder in the lower right quadrant of your abdomen near the right ovary. That said, we'll consider a number of possibilities for lower right abdomen pain. Some apply only to women, but several do not.

There are other conditions related to the female urinary and reproductive systems that may present pain near the right ovary. These include the following.

Appendicitis The appendix is a small tube-like structure located at the end of the colon, on the right side. It's about three inches long. When the appendix becomes blocked, by infection, stool, a foreign body, or cancer, the appendix may become inflamed. Appendicitis causes either dull or sharp pain anywhere in the upper or lower abdomen. Diagnosis is difficult because pain from appendicitis resembles right ovary pain and a number of other disorders.
 
Ectopic pregnancy An ectopic pregnancy is an abnormal pregnancy that occurs outside the womb (usually in a fallopian tube). The fertilized egg cannot survive, and damage to tissue in the area can cause acute pain.
 
Ovarian cysts Ovarian cysts are sacs, filled with fluid, that grow on the ovaries. Typically, they're harmless, although they're capably of causing ovary pain. Many women have these cysts during their child-bearing years.
 
Mittelschmerz This is pain during in the middle of a woman's menstrual cycle. Usually, there's a twinge or cramp in the lower back or abdomen, along with a small discharge of blood. See ovulation pain.

Pyelonephritis This is a serious medical condition that occurs in the urinary tract. It usually starts in the bladder or ureters and migrates up into the kidneys. A kidney infection can cause permanent kidney damage. Pyelonephritis can not only cause pain in the areas of the ovary, be life-threatening if the infection spreads to your bloodstream.

Other conditions that feel like ovary pain

There are other disorders related to the female urinary and reproductive systems that may present pain near the right ovary. These include

Menstruation This one is so obvious, it barely deserves a mention, since most women already know how it affects their own bodies. However, there's a form of menstruation known as dysmenorrhea which can cause unusually acute menstrual pain. It is often felt in the area of the ovaries.

Endometriosis This condition occurs when tissue that normally lines the uterus grows elsewhere in the body. It causes pelvic pain which usually starts in mid cycle and increases through the period. Endometriosis is often associated with ovary pain.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (also known as PCOS) PCOS is believed to affect about 10 percent of all women. PCOS is characterized by ovary pain, missed or irregular periods, multiple small cysts in the ovaries and high androgen levels. Click on ovary pain and PCOS to read a separate article.

Ovarian cancer A serious form of cancer that may cause abdominal pain as it progresses. Often it is only detected in the later stages when it's difficult to treat. Approximately 20,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the United States. Ovarian cancer causes approximately 15,000 deaths every year.

Infections Acute pelvis pain is often a symptom of an infection. Many conditions cause such infections, and any of them occurring near an ovary can cause pain.

Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID Pelvic inflammatory disease causes abdomen pain. It may cause painful sores on the ovaries. PID must be treated, or it can cause infertility.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) often occurs where these has been a prior sexually transmitted disease can like chlamydia.