Never heard of pelvic varicose veins?
They affect about 30% of women and have no cure, but they can be treated.
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Despite being an unknown problem for many women, the pelvic varicose veins diagnoses exist and are not rare – it is estimated that the condition affects about 30% of the female population.
Perhaps because it is a little talked about topic, patients end up ignoring the symptoms and start to believe that the discomfort they feel in the pelvic region is normal to a certain extent.
In addition, the symptoms of pelvic varicose veins can often be confused with those of gastritis, endometriosis or even menstrual pain.
So that you are properly informed, we explain what they are, what are their causes and the symptoms that are associated. Stay with us.
All about pelvic varicose veins
We’ve all heard about varicose veins. But what if we told you that there are pelvic varicose veins, do you know what they are? The truth is that because it is not a well-known topic among the population, it is important that you are properly informed in order to prevent a worse scenario.
What are?
Pelvic varicose veins are dilated veins that appear mainly in women. Affect the uterus, but can also affect the fallopian tubes or ovaries.
Despite being more frequent in the female population, pelvic varicose veins can also appear in men. In these cases, they are located mainly in the testicles.
In addition to this, it is also important to mention that the same they do not have any kind of associated healing. However, when there are symptoms, these can be controlled with medication or with embolization.
Embolization is a procedure that involves inserting a very thin catheter through the vein to the site of the swollen vein. A substance is released through the catheter that reduces the varix and increases the strength of the vein walls.
Female pelvic varicose veins are also known as pelvic venous congestion syndrome. Which means that this syndrome brings together a set of signs and symptoms (from pelvic pain, pelvic heaviness, varicose veins in the vagina, thighs and vulva or pain during sexual intercourse) that are associated with the presence of dilated veins in the region.
In turn, this type of dilated veins causes venous blood to accumulate in the pelvic region, leading to pelvic venous congestion.
What kind of causes are related to its appearance?
As for the causes, know that pelvic varicose veins can only appear due to genetic factors. However, they are more common after pregnancy. – as the body needs to dilate the veins in this region in order to transport the blood essential for pregnancy.
In addition to this, the hormones that are produced throughout pregnancy also contribute to the dilation of all the veins in the woman’s body.
Consequently, the valves that are inside the pelvic veins stop working, causing venous blood to accumulate in the veins of the pelvis. The result is an increase in veins in the region – that is, varicose veins.
Another important aspect to emphasize about the causes of this type of varicose veins is the fact that they can result from pathologies that originate secondary venous congestion, hormonal factors, obstructive anatomical anomalies or pelvic surgeries.
Can pelvic varicose veins be dangerous to our health?
As a rule, they are not a danger to our health. However, there is still a very low risk of clots forming inside these veins or varicose veins.
When this type of formation occurs, the clots can be transported to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism – a very serious situation that must be treated as soon as it is detected.
What are the symptoms of the appearance of pelvic varicose veins?
Usually, this type of varicose veins does not usually cause any symptoms. However, some women may experience the following symptoms:
- abdominal pain;
- feeling of heaviness in the intimate region;
- varicose veins visible to the naked eye in the vagina, buttocks or thighs;
- increased menstruation;
- pain during intercourse;
- urinary incontinence.
When the existence of symptoms is verified, know that they can improve when the person is lying down or sitting. After all, blood has a greater facility to return to the heart. However, there are several women who claim to have pain that is almost always present.
How is the diagnosis made?
If you suspect that you may have pelvic varicose veins, either because you can see them or because you have associated pain, you should consult your gynecologist.
As a rule, the doctor makes the diagnosis of pelvic pain through some testssuch as: MRI, Doppler ultrasound or abdominal or pelvic tomography, for example.
Furthermore, pelvic varicose veins are mainly seen in middle-aged women, who have complaints of chronic pelvic pain that worsens with exertion and body positions. It is often associated with complaints of pain during sexual intercourse or even during menstruation.
Despite this, be aware that several women may have chronic pain and not necessarily have pelvic varicose veins. In case of doubt, the ideal is to talk to your doctor and schedule a routine appointment.
