Pelvic congestion syndrome is a medical condition that commonly causes chronic pelvic pain that will only keep getting worse until properly treated. Pelvic congestion syndrome is only found in women. While this condition has been proven to affect up to 15 percent of women in the United States, it can still be somewhat difficult to diagnose. Since nobody should constantly be suffering from chronic pelvic pain, you should get checked out as soon as possible if you display any of the symptoms of pelvic congestion syndrome.
Pelvic congestion syndrome is caused when varicose veins start to develop around the ovaries. Just like the varicose veins that occur in the leg, this only occurs when the veins are not able to perform properly. Once the veins near the ovaries start to malfunction, blood will start to build up in the body. The veins will also become extremely enlarged and congested, which is the primary source of the pain associated with pelvic congestion syndrome.
The biggest symptom of pelvic congestion syndrome is an aching pain in the pelvis and torso. This pain will most likely start off as a dull pain in the morning, but progress to a sharp stabbing pain near the end of the day. This pain may also be combined with lower back and leg pain.
The pain associated with pelvic congestion syndrome commonly gets better when laying down on your back. The pain is also known to get worse during sexual intercourse and during menstrual periods. Less common symptoms caused by pelvic congestion syndrome include headaches, mood swings and stomach bloating.
Pelvic congestion syndrome can be hard to diagnose at times because some women do not start to experience any symptoms until they get pregnant. Blood flow throughout the body increases during pregnancy, which puts more pressure on the veins around the ovaries. Since these veins have to do more work, they are far more likely to start to fail during pregnancy. Increased levels of estrogen are also believed to increase the risk of these painful varicose veins.
Pelvic congestion syndrome is undetectable in a normal pelvic exam. To properly diagnose this condition, you will have to get an ultrasound of the pelvis. The ultrasound will allow us to see if there are any problems with your veins.
Once you have been officially diagnosed with pelvic congestion syndrome, you may be given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and hormonal medications to try to relieve the pain and reduce blood flow in the pelvis. If this does not work, then you may have to undergo a minor surgery to alleviate the problem. Sclerotherapy, for instance, will block the blood flow by introducing a solution directly into the varicose veins. Since the blood can no longer flow through the damaged veins, all of your painful symptoms should be eliminated.
To learn more about our treatment options for pelvic congestion syndrome, make an appointment at the South Texas Vein Institute in Edinburg. After diagnosing your condition, we can come up with a treatment plan designed to relieve you of your symptoms. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
