Pelvic congestion is a painful condition caused by enlarged or varicose veins in the pelvis. This condition is often difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms are similar to many other pelvic and abdominal health conditions.
The symptoms of this condition include persistent dull pain in the abdomen and/or pelvis, which becomes more intense when standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time. PCS affects about one-third of all women at some point in their lives, especially during their childbearing years. It can also be a difficult condition to diagnose because the symptoms of PCS are similar to that of other health conditions experienced by women.
What happens if I don’t treat Pelvic Congestion Syndrome?
Left untreated, PCS can worsen over time and could have a significant impact on your quality of life. In addition, symptoms such as pain during intercourse, heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding and varicose veins in the vulva or legs may become more pronounced.
Treatment Options
Conservative treatment options for PCS include medication to control the pain, hormone therapy and the wearing compression garments. If these do not work, some advocate for surgical procedures such as laparoscopic vein ligation or even hysterectomy. Before considering surgery, however, it may be a good idea to look into the minimally invasive alternatives.
Two such alternatives are ovarian vein embolization (OVE) and sclerotherapy. These procedures effectively shrink or close the affected veins, reducing inflammation and the associated pain and other symptoms. OVE is now considered to be a first-line treatment for PCS because it is minimally invasive and very effective.