As anyone who has had a menstrual period knows, they are not without symptoms. Some people have very few symptoms of their menstrual period, while others have severe symptoms, such as flu-like symptoms, nausea, PMS symptoms, period cramps, and abnormal bleeding that makes those period days difficult to tolerate. Some women have such severe symptoms during the period that after the period, they feel exhausted and have a hard time getting back to their normal life.
Mittelschmerz (mittel = “middle” and schmerz = “pain”) is a German term used to describe ovulation pain, which is characterized by cramps localized in the abdomen on either the right or left side of the pelvic area. Mittelschmerz occurs when the egg is released by one of your ovaries, and can last for a few seconds or sometimes up to 24-36 hours. The intensity of the pain depends on a number of factors, and usually varies from woman to woman.
It’s normal to have some amount of watery discharge, and as unpleasant as it may be, this fluid helps maintain your vagina clean, healthy and keep infections at bay. The changes in color, consistency and amount that occur throughout your menstrual cycle may seem scary, especially if you have never paid attention to how your discharge looks.
Ovulation symptoms aren’t difficult to notice. Your body temperature rises by one degree, your cervical mucus turns clear and slippery, your breasts are tender when you touch them, your belly feels bloated, and your stomach is cramping. If these sound familiar to you, then you should know you’re not alone – in fact, most women experience symptoms of ovulation every month. Telling what’s normal and what isn’t can be a challenge. Unless you ask an expert, there’s no way to discover that by yourself.