{"id":1150,"date":"2021-07-05T11:24:03","date_gmt":"2021-07-05T11:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/?p=1150"},"modified":"2025-05-21T13:06:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T17:06:41","slug":"should-you-be-concerned-over-twisted-ovaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/should-you-be-concerned-over-twisted-ovaries\/","title":{"rendered":"Twisted Ovaries: Symptoms &#038; Concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ovarian torsion is a condition in which a person has a <\/span><a href=\"\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/all-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">twisted ovary<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which can cause severe pain. The twisting prevents blood from flowing to the ovary and fallopian tube. If the patient doesn\u2019t seek immediate medical attention and treatment, tissue death can occur.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We may also refer to it as adnexal torsion, and sometimes it can be difficult to diagnose, as people with this condition have the same symptoms that other conditions cause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This blog will explore what causes twisted ovaries and describe how we can diagnose the condition. We will also mention some twisted ovary symptoms, treatment options, and what happens after the patient is treated.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Common Is Ovarian Torsion?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ovarian torsion is a rare condition that can occur in any age group, but it is more common in women aged 20-40 years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to diagnose and treat the condition in its early stages, especially if it develops in childhood. This is because it can cause organ loss, infertility and affect pubertal development.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ovarian torsion can affect only one side, but a recurrence is possible in the same ovary or both ovaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Causes Twisted Ovaries?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1152 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries.jpg\" alt=\"Pregnant Woman With a Headache and Pain\" width=\"1000\" height=\"653\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries-200x131.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries-400x261.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries-600x392.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries-800x522.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/What-Causes-Twisted-Ovaries.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This section answers one of the most asked questions: What causes twisted ovaries?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The factors and conditions that can increase the risk of twisted ovaries include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polycystic ovaries: These can lead to swollen ovaries. Patients with polycystic ovaries can reduce the risk of having a twisted ovary by using hormonal birth control to reduce the cysts&#8217; size. It is always best to discuss this with a healthcare provider, as they can suggest the best medication for your condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pregnancy: During ovulation, the follicle releases an egg and forms a hormone-secreting structure known as the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum breaks down if the woman doesn&#8217;t get pregnant and causes reabsorption in the body. When a pregnancy occurs, however, this fills with blood and can turn into a cyst. This is very common in early pregnancy, but it can sometimes lead to ovarian torsion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hormonal medications: The use of hormone medication to trigger ovulation for infertility problems can develop cysts. These can increase the risk of twisted ovaries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a long ovarian ligament: This connects the ovary to the uterus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): The hormones used for in vitro fertilization or ovulation induction can increase the risk of twisted ovaries. This is because they cause ovary enlargement or develop a lot of cysts. People who undergo ART procedures should discuss the risks with their doctors and seek medical help if they have twisted ovary symptoms.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How Do You Diagnose a Twisted Ovary?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who have ovarian torsion pain and severe abdominal discomfort should seek immediate medical help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doctors perform different tests to determine whether the patient has a twisted ovary, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pelvic exam: This helps us determine where the pain is coming from.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urine test: This confirms that the patient isn&#8217;t pregnant due to their symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultrasound: We perform an ovarian torsion ultrasound by inserting the probe inside the vagina, as it helps us view the patient&#8217;s ovaries, fallopian tube, and blood flow. This can also help us spot ovarian cysts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blood and urine tests: These can be useful as twisted ovary symptoms can be similar to other conditions. Therefore, these tests help us rule out other potential diagnoses, such as ectopic pregnancy, appendicitis, ovarian abscess, and urinary tract infections.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>What Are Some Twisted Ovary Symptoms?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twisted ovary symptoms are similar to those of other conditions, such as kidney stones, appendicitis, gastroenteritis, and urinary tract infections.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a twisted ovary, you may experience the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nausea.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pain in the lower abdomen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nausea.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vomiting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fever.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abnormal bleeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A twisted ovary symptom can present suddenly or without warning, and abdominal pain can come and go for several weeks. This happens when the ovary is attempting to twist back to its position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following section describes the treatment options available for patients who have a twisted ovary symptom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Do You Treat a Twisted Ovary?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surgical procedures are the only option for twisted ovary treatment. If you have a cyst, we first try to remove it and untwist the ovary or fallopian tube, as this restores the blood flow to the ovary and fallopian tube.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, the surgeon performs one of the following twisted ovary treatment surgeries:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laparoscopy: During this procedure, we make a small incision and insert a slender, lighted instrument in the patient&#8217;s lower abdomen, as this helps us view the internal organs. We also make another incision to be able to access the ovary, and after that, we untwist it using a blunt probe. We recommend a laparoscopy for pregnant women, and it requires general anesthesia and is performed on an outpatient basis.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laparotomy: We make a larger incision in your lower abdomen so we can untwist the ovary manually. This procedure requires general anesthesia and is performed on an inpatient basis.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oophorectomy: This involves the removal of the ovary if it is no longer functional.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salpingo-Oophorectomy: During this procedure, the surgeon removes both the ovarian and fallopian tissue as they are no longer viable. This can be the best option to prevent recurrence in postmenopausal women.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The surgeons always try to save the ovary. However, if it has been twisted for a long time, the best option would be to remove it with the fallopian tube, decreasing women&#8217;s ability to have children. However, if we don&#8217;t remove the ovary, you&#8217;re more likely to develop an infection that can cause an abscess.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The risk of recurrence is low.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we have covered the twisted ovary treatment section, we can explain what happens after undergoing a surgical procedure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What Happens After Surgery?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The doctor may recommend that you avoid heavy lifting or intense exercises for the first few weeks. You can even take over-the-counter medications to relieve pain and discomfort, such as ibuprofen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The physician may also prescribe oxycodone or oxycodone with acetaminophen if you have severe pain. Hormonal birth controls may also be helpful to reduce the recurrence of ovarian torsion.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>When To Contact a Medical Professional<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1153 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional.jpg\" alt=\"Woman Grabbing Her Belly Lying on the Bed and Suffering From Stomach Pain.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2021\/07\/When-To-Contact-a-Medical-Professional.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is best to contact a medical professional if you have any symptoms that include ovarian torsion pain, abnormal bleeding, and symptoms of an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/womens-health\/faqs\/ovarian-cysts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ovarian cyst<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patients can experience symptoms if a cyst ruptures. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pelvic pain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pain during intercourse.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bloating.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swollen tummy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heavy and irregular periods.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A frequent need to urinate.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Difficulty getting pregnant.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you experience any of the following symptoms associated with an infection after surgery, seek immediate medical help:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fever.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increasing pelvic pain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inflammation in the incision sites.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A foul-smelling discharge.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Book Your Appointment Today<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a twisted ovary is considered a medical emergency, and we can only correct it through a surgical procedure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we don&#8217;t provide a diagnosis or treatment plan immediately, the risk for complications increases, and you&#8217;ll require more surgeries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, if you are experiencing any symptoms related to this condition, call our office to book an appointment with Dr. Ellman\u2019s team at Women&#8217;s Healthcare of Boca Raton.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ovarian torsion is a condition in which a person has a twisted ovary which can cause severe pain. The twisting prevents blood from flowing to the ovary and fallopian tube. If the patient doesn\u2019t seek immediate medical attention and treatment, tissue death can occur.\u00a0 We may also refer to it as adnexal torsion, and sometimes  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1151,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[131,132,137,139,138,130,133,134,135,136],"class_list":["post-1150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gynecology","tag-ovarian-torsion","tag-ovarian-torsion-pain","tag-ovarian-torsion-ultrasound","tag-polycystic-ovaries","tag-swollen-ovaries","tag-twisted-ovary","tag-twisted-ovary-symptom","tag-twisted-ovary-symptoms","tag-twisted-ovary-treatment","tag-what-causes-twisted-ovaries"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1150\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/womens-healthcare-of-boca-raton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}