“Does ovulation pain mean the egg is being released?”

Sometimes if it occurs regularly between periods.

Ovulation is a clinical word that means the same as when we say "releasing the egg". Not everyone has pain with ovulation. It is perfectly normal and common to ovulate without pain. However, some women feel some pain or cramping with ovulation. This is called mittelschmerz, germain for "middle pain". If the menstrual cycle is regular every month, ovulation is occurring 14 days before the first day of the period. Pain during the 2-3 days around ovulation is common and generally not of concern. You may take ibuprofen or aleve if the pain is bothersome. Please be aware that some mid-cycle pain might be cause for concern. Endometriosis can cause pain at ovulation as well. The best course of action is to discuss your symptoms with your gynecologist to be sure you do not need further evaluation.

While there are patients that sometimes know when they are ovulating, it is an inconsistent way to know for sure one way or another. The best way is to buy the over-the-counter urine strips. It is much more accurate than seeing if you can feel yourself ovulating.
I hope that this helps.

Joseph A. Adashek, MD FACOG