What should you know about risk of ovarian torsion?

An ovary can rotate around the tissues that support it, sometimes along with a fallopian tube. The twist may obstruct blood flow and cause sudden or worsening pain on one side of the lower abdomen or pelvis. An enlarged ovary, including one affected by a cyst or another mass, can be more prone to twisting, although torsion can occur without an obvious warning. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the pain. Symptoms can occasionally come and go if the ovary twists and partially untwists.

The risk is not something you can reliably judge at home. A clinician may assess your symptoms, examine your abdomen and pelvis, and arrange ultrasound or other tests. Imaging can support the assessment, but a normal or unclear result does not always settle the question when symptoms are concerning.

Seek urgent medical advice for sudden pelvic pain, especially when it is one-sided, severe, persistent, or paired with nausea or vomiting. Tell the clinician about known ovarian cysts, fertility treatment, pregnancy possibility, previous torsion, or recent pelvic procedures. Do not wait for a routine appointment if the pain is escalating. If torsion is suspected, treatment is usually surgical assessment to untwist the ovary and protect its blood supply; the operation may also address a cyst when appropriate. A laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy may be discussed when a cyst needs removal.

Go to an emergency department now for sudden intense pelvic or abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, faintness, marked weakness, a swollen abdomen, fever, or pain that is rapidly worsening. Call emergency services if you feel unable to travel safely. Even moderate pain deserves prompt assessment when it is new, one-sided, or associated with nausea; pelvic pain can have several causes and should not be self-diagnosed.

Could my symptoms fit ovarian torsion or another urgent pelvic problem? Is an ovarian cyst or enlarged ovary present? Which examination or scan is needed, and how quickly should it happen? If surgery is recommended, what would you try to preserve and what recovery should I expect?