Pelvic congestion syndrome is a painful condition around the pelvic area or lower belly that affects women of childbearing age. It mainly affects women between 20 to 45 years. The condition causes debilitating pain around the pelvic area or the entire lower abdomen, and this makes it very difficult to live a normal life while in such pain. At the same time, do not let this develop into stress and anxiety, as is the case with most women since the condition can be treated. The condition causes chronic and sometimes debilitating pelvic pain and is less known compared to other conditions. The good news is that PCS can be treated, and you can see how pelvic congestion syndrome treatment works here. Below we explore the many reasons why you should be worried about PCS and why you should take immediate action and deek help.
What Causes Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS)?
Experts believe the condition is caused by pressure on veins around the pelvic area, especially during pregnancy, due to the weight and pressure exerted by the pregnancy. This causes the veins to widen, get twisted, and coiled. This results in varicose veins in the pelvic area, which causes dull, mild, or excruciating pain. The pain is similar to that of other related conditions such as endometriosis, bladder inflammation, uterine fibroids, and ovarian cysts.
Specific Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Symptoms
Since other conditions cause pain around the pelvic area, these specific symptoms are more related to PCS. They include:
- Pelvic pain that develops after childbirth
- The pain is triggered by physical activity
- The pain decreases when you lie down
- The pain worsens as the day comes to an end
- Pain that worsens during menses
Other Related Symptoms
Other symptoms that could point to PCS include:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Dyspareunia or pain during sex
- An irritable bladder that makes it difficult to control pee
- Aching legs coupled with varicose veins on the upper thighs and the buttocks
- Bloating and lower back pain
- Engorged veins on the vagina front
- Stress and anxiety
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Risk Factors
The condition is common in women of childbearing age though more common with women with more than one child. This is mostly due to the weight the pregnancy exerts on the pelvic area. It’s also common with women suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), those with hormonal issues, full leg varicose veins, and a retroverted or tipped uterus.
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Diagnosis
There are many ways to diagnose PCS though they require extensive investigation. This is so since PCS mimics many other reproductive system problems, and it helps avoid misdiagnosis. Besides a thorough medical history, the following tests may also be administered.
- Urine tests
- Physical exam
- Diagnostic laparoscopy
- Blood test relevant to the condition. These mainly check for pregnancy, anemia, sexually transmitted diseases, and other related conditions.
- Imaging tests may include a CT scan, ultrasound, or MRI
If the above tests are inconclusive, the doctor may recommend venography, which is a specialized x-ray of the pelvic veins. The other recommendation is a Doppler ultrasound. This is different from the normal ultrasound, and it aims at checking the flow in the pelvic blood vessels.
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Treatment
Once the doctor confirms PCS, there are various available treatments. These include:
Surgery: This is aimed at closing off the varicose veins. The doctor looks at your medical history and the size of the veins. Closing the problematic veins reroutes blood to the healthy ones.
Procedures that shut off the damaged veins: These include coiling, embolization, and sclerotherapy. Coiling of the damaged veins is a non-invasive treatment that helps eliminate the varicose veins. This involved inserting tiny plastic catheters into the affected veins. These coils prevent backward flow, and eventually, they collapse the veins.
Medication and hormonal therapy: this includes administration of drugs that have gonadotropin, a hormone that blocks ovarian function and eases pain. Drugs with progestin hormones also help ease the pain.
Hysterectomy: this is recommended as a last resort. It involves the removal of the uterus and ovaries to ease chronic pain.
Ensure you seek urgent medical attention when you experience symptoms such as acute pain around the pelvic area, abnormal vaginal bleeding, achy legs, bloating, and lower back, especially if you have just given birth. If you are also experiencing stress and anxiety, do not ignore these signs since most women experience the same due to the fear of living with chronic pelvic pain.
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