Pelvic congestion syndrome or pelvic vein syndrome is a long-standing condition characterized by the presence of varicose veins in the pelvic region. Varicose veins are veins that are twisted, enlarged, and swollen due to abnormal vein functioning.
It
results in constant, dull pain in the pelvic region that may aggravate during
various conditions such as standing for long or later months of pregnancy.
While the condition may occur in anyone, it is more likely to be seen in women
with more than one pregnancy.
Pelvic
pain syndrome is responsible for pain in about 30% of women with long-standing
pain cases.
Symptoms
Most
women with this syndrome complain of pain that may aggravate in the following
conditions:
·
A
few days before the menstrual cycle
·
Standing
for a long time
·
After
or during sexual intercourse
·
Later
stages of pregnancy
The
pain is dragging or a dull aching pain
Some
other additional symptoms include:
·
Abnormal
bleeding during menstruation
·
Depression
·
abnormal
vaginal discharge
·
Abdominal
pain
·
Painful
menstruation
·
Fatigue
·
Backache
·
Varicose
vein around buttocks, vulva, and legs
·
Increased
urination
·
Swelling
of the vulva or vagina
·
Hip
pain
Causes
As
mentioned before, pregnancy is the common risk factor for pelvic vein syndrome.
The following factors may increase the risk of varicose veins during pregnancy:
·
Structural
changes in the pelvis may affect some blood vessels
·
Water
retention may engorge blood vessels due to excess fluid volume and damaged
valves
·
High
estrogen levels weaken the vessel wall
Diagnosis
Your
doctor will ask your detailed history about pain and its aggravating factors.
They may also advise the following tests to confirm the diagnosis of pelvic
vein syndrome:
·
Ultrasound
·
MRI
·
CT
scan
·
Venogram
·
Laparoscopy
Treatment
The
primary aim of treating pelvic vein syndrome is to manage pain. Some medicines
that may help are:
·
Long-standing
painkillers such as amitriptyline
·
Nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs
Procedure
pelvic vein embolization (PVE)
If
the pain is severe or recurring, your doctor may also advise the procedure pelvic
vein embolization (PVE), which aims at blocking the blood vessels responsible
for pain.
In
this procedure, the doctor will place a catheter into the problematic vein and introduce
sclerosing agents that irritate and inflame the vein. They may also introduce
metal plugs or coils to prevent blood flow in the vein.
All
this prevents reversal of blood flow in the affected blood vessel, reducing the
pressure within the blood vessel. It is a comparatively more uncomplicated
procedure, and you can return your daily activity within a few days. Experts
believe that 75% of the women undergoing PVE notice a significant improvement
in their symptoms.
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