PCOS pain: Where does it come from and how to start feeling better?

In a nutshell

PCOS pain is one of the prevalent symptoms reported by 27.6% of women with this syndrome. The pain can be caused by hormonal imbalances, cycle irregularity, chronic inflammation, accompanying conditions, and cysts-related issues, such as rupture. It can be felt in the lower abdomen, pelvis, and back. The most effective at-home relief strategies include:

• Balanced diet
• Regular exercise
• Stretching
• Heat therapy
• Over-the-counter medications

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that affects  7-10% of women in their reproductive years and is believed to run undiagnosed in up to 70% more cases. Hindering the work of ovaries and disrupting the healthy balance of hormones, this condition can have multiple manifestations, including PCOS pain.

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Understanding PCOS pain types

The most common symptoms of PCOS include:

• Irregular or prolonged periods
• Weight gain
• Excessive hair growth
• Acne
• Hair thinning
• Infertility

Typically, pain isn’t listed among the common symptoms. Yet, PCOS cramps aren’t at all uncommon. A study by Health and Quality of Life Outcomes has found the highest proportion (27.6%) of symptoms related to discomfort and pain in PCOS patients, despite the fact healthcare providers don’t always consider pain to be a prevalent manifestation of this condition.

Women with PCOS can experience different types of pain, including:

• Menstrual cramps
• Pelvic pain
• General pain in the body and fatigue

What are the main causes of PCOS-related pain?

The causes of different pain types vary in females with PCOS. The first and one of the primary reasons you can feel pain is because of the hormonal changes that occur in your body. PCOS is shown to create abnormal levels of different hormones in women, including the levels of estrogens, androgens, luteinizing hormone(LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and others.

An imbalance of all these hormones affects the regularity of the cycle. As a result, women with PCOS frequently have irregular menstruation and additional periods-related symptoms, such as prolonged menstruation, heavier bleeding, clotting, etc. A disrupted cycle with these additional symptoms can trigger more tangible period pain, which can be felt in the lower abdomen or back.

Another common reason for experiencing PCOS cysts pain is inflammation. This syndrome affects female ovaries, making them develop a large number of cysts on their surface. In response to these cysts, similarly to an infection or injury, your body makes its white blood cells produce antibody proteins to fight against the hazard, and this response is called low-grade inflammation. In patients with PCOS, it’s quite common to see chronic low-grade inflammation, which can cause discomfort and aches.

Lastly, PCOS stomach pain can result from other accompanying conditions, such as endometriosis or fibromyalgia. If you have any additional conditions, their symptoms can overlap causing more discomfort.

What do PCOS cramps feel like?

In order to be able to address your pain correspondingly and find relief, it’s always important to locate the cause correctly. So how do you know that your pain comes from PCOS, in particular?

Specialists outline several core features of PCOS flare up pain that can help you differentiate it from a regular stomach ache. Typically, this pain feels like a dull nagging pain that can persist for a rather long time and be accompanied by an occasional sharp stabbing sensation.

Pains associated with cysts tend to be more severe. Sometimes, in the case of cysts rupturing, PCOS can cause sudden, severe pain. Also, it’s common for cysts to grow too large so they start twisting of an ovary. This process, known as ovarian torsion, is also associated with sudden and strong pain in the pelvic area. This pain can be so severe that it causes nausea and even vomiting. So if you ever wondered “Can PCOS cause vomiting?” The answer is “yes,” there might be nausea associated with pain.

PCOS pain treatment: 5 simple relief techniques for better well-being

Although PCOS pain in lower abdomen, pelvic area, or back can be rather common and persistent, which might affect your quality of life, the good news is that there are many ways to find relief and feel better. Let us give you an overview of the most effective PCOS pain treatment techniques to try:

1. Stick to a more balanced diet

Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is pivotal in PCOS because the foods you consume can actually help you target a whole set of PCOS symptoms. Namely, a balance in your diet can help you fight PCOS fatigue and increase your energy levels. 

It also helps prevent and manage other conditions associated with PCOS, such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, systemic inflammation, and obesity. Lastly, a balanced, nutrient-rich diet plays a crucial role in supporting hormonal balance, thus, helping improve PCOS symptoms and regulate your cycle.

If you’re not sure where to start with your diet, dietitians recommend trying the Mediterranean diet. This diet is rich in foods from all categories, which makes it a good option for balance.

2. Make exercise your habitual ritual

Regular physical activity is another common solution for women with PCOS. Similar to following a healthy diet, regular exercising helps take a holistic approach to the problem and eliminate (or ease) a whole range of symptoms.

First and foremost, regular activity helps maintain an optimal weight and improve the overall health of your organism. In the long run, it can help reduce the risk of developing accompanying conditions, like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, or obesity.

Additionally, regular exercising is known to balance hormone levels, improve energy levels, reduce stress, and tackle problems like chronic inflammation and pain. It can also improve your pain tolerance in the future by stimulating the regular production of endorphins which are natural painkillers in our bodies.

3. Do regular stretches

Apart from exercising, healthcare providers often recommend stretching and relaxation practices as relieves for PCOS symptoms. Gentle stretches are used to reduce muscle tension and ease inflammation. Also, stretching is thought to be particularly helpful for instant PCOS back pain relief - poses like a child’s pose, cat-cow, and gentle spinal twists offer instant relaxation and back pain relief.

Last but not least, stretching is believed to affect your mental wellness along with your physical one. Like meditations, gentle stretches offer you some extra mindfulness and self-care time that help reduce anxiety, stress, and depression frequently associated with PCOS.

4. Try heat therapy

Heat therapy has been used for decades to address different aches. On a physiological level, applying heat to an aching area is known to provide relaxation, relieve pain, and improve the blood flow, metabolism, and elasticity of connective tissues.

Warm wraps or heat pads are shown to provide quick relief for PCOS pain in lower abdomen and back. Although this technique may not have a cumulative effect, it can be a great approach for quickly making yourself feel better.

5. Have some over-the-counter medicine

Lastly, speaking about effective relief methods, we can’t avoid mentioning over-the-counter solutions, such as Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medicines typically contain ibuprofen and aspirin, which are both known to relieve moderate pain. Taking such medicines can be a good immediate solution that only takes under half an hour to start acting.

However, it’s important to emphasize the potential hazards of over-the-counter medicines and, especially, their irregulated intake. So be sure to pick high-quality medications and use them cautiously, according to recommended daily doses to prevent any potential complications.

Medical strategies for managing PCOS flare up pain

While the strategies we shared with you above are all simple, at-home remedies that you can try, of course, there are also more sophisticated medical solutions.

If you’re diagnosed with PCOS or suspect having this syndrome, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional. A doctor can offer you effective personalized guidance for addressing your symptoms and ensuring overall good well-being despite the chronic condition. Set up a plan for regular checkups with your healthcare provider and communicate any symptoms you experience in your daily life to receive personalized treatment advice.

Your medical PCOS treatment might include:

• Birth control pills - These medications contain hormones estrogen and progestin and, thus, can help women with PCOS to restore their hormonal balance and cycle.
• Medicines for treating underlying health conditions - Since PCOS often causes accompanying conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, healthcare providers may suggest you take additional medicines for treating them, for example, metformin and Inositol.
• Lifestyle adjustments - Typically, healthcare specialists will help women with PCOS to rethink their diets, daily activities, and habits to help them incorporate positive habits that help support their overall health.

Speaking about severe PCOS cysts pain, in particular, it’s also worth mentioning that there are some invasive procedures for pain relief. Manipulations like ovarian drilling and aspiration/removal of enlarged cysts can become a good way to relieve chronic and strong pain associated with PCOS. So if you’re experiencing severe PCOS cramps, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor to get personalized treatment options.

Conclusion

PCOS pain can be occasional or more persistent. It can feel like a dull nagging sensation or grow into a sharp stabbing pain. In any case, though it’s not typically listed among the primary PCOS symptoms, painful sensations are reported by over a quarter of females with this syndrome, making it rather a big deal. Needless to say, this pain can greatly decrease your quality of life and cause plenty of discomfort. Luckily, there are ways to manage it.

As you now know, there are ways to address PCOS pain holistically - by adjusting your diet and incorporating regular exercising. Such approaches help target the deep causes and symptoms of PCOS, bringing better well-being in the long run. Also, there are instant relief options like stretching, heat therapy, and over-the-counter medications.