Sometimes, chronic pelvic pain is a sign of uterine fibroids or adenomyosis. But for approximately 3 million women living in the United States, it’s a sign of pelvic venous disease (PeVD), a common, yet often-dismissed, condition. (It may also be referred to as pelvic congestion syndrome.)

While many women suffer from PeVD, getting a diagnosis can be difficult. Symptoms are often considered ‘normal,’ or determined to be the result of other conditions. So, to help you accurately diagnose the cause of your pelvic pain, this post takes a deep dive into the ins and outs of pelvic venous disease.

Symptoms of Pelvic Venous Disease

Pelvic pain is the most common PeVD symptom, but it’s not a sharp pain. Instead, the discomfort is dull and achy; people describe feeling pelvic pressure or heaviness.   This pain will get worse:

• As the day goes on, especially if you’ve been standing for a while.
• During or following sex.

The pain may get worse just before you menstruate, but you may find relief by lying down. Addition symptoms include vulvar, perineal or outer thigh varicose veins, as well as pain on your left flank.

Causes

Left ovarian venous insufficiency can cause pelvic venous disease—when the vein fails to deliver blood upward to the heart, it can pool in your pelvis instead, resulting in the heavy discomfort that characterizes PeVD. Less commonly, renal vein compression can also cause this condition.

Diagnosing Pelvic Venous Disease

Recording and sharing your symptoms with a trusted healthcare provider is the first step toward receiving an accurate diagnosis. That diagnosis can often be confirmed with a pelvic ultrasound,  but further imaging may sometimes be necessary.

Seeking Treatment

There are several options when it comes to treating PeVD. Some women may benefit from conservative options such as pelvic floor physical therapy or medications that decrease dilation in affected veins. Surgery can also relieve this condition, although that option requires invasive incisions, general anesthesia, overnight hospital stays and extended recovery periods. Luckily, women who don’t respond to conservative treatment, and who wish to avoid surgery, can still find relief for pelvic venous disease. With minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures, such as venous stenting or vein embolization, we can relieve your discomfort with fewer risks and less down time. To learn more about your treatment options, reach out to our Georgia Endovascular team today and Schedule an Appointment request a consultation [/ga-appt-link.]