The constant pain in the pelvic area of women is often accompanied by circulatory problems in this plane. Latent enlargement of the pelvic veins is not uncommon. What it is and how to deal with it - we’ll look at it in this material!
According to medical statistics, more than half of middle-aged women experience recurrent lower abdominal pain. About half of these cases involve circulatory disorders. This manifests itself in the stagnation of blood and the outflow of intercellular fluid into the pelvic cavity. Congestion leads to compression of the soft tissues of the organs. This provokes the development of pain syndrome. The cause of this pathological process is varicose veins in the small pelvis.
It usually begins to develop during pregnancy and then progresses slowly throughout a woman’s life. There are currently no reliable data on the causes of the phenomenon and methods of effective treatment.
Development mechanism
In a normally functioning vein, blood flows in only one direction. Backflow is prevented by the valve system. In the event that the valves lose their integrity and elasticity, a gradual reverse flow of venous blood develops. In the case of a prolonged pathological process, this leads to constant stagnation of the blood. As a result, the vessel wall stretches and the cavity of the vein dilates. It loses its bandwidth and, if necessary, its ability to compress.
In the initial stage, the pain in this disease is due to a violation of the nerve endings that innervate the walls of the venous bed.
Probable reasons
Currently, science does not know the exact cause of the disease. The possible risk factors are as follows.
- Physiology of pregnancy. The amount of circulating blood increases significantly during pregnancy. This leads to an increase in the weight of the pregnant woman. Excessive blood volume, combined with excessive body weight, is thought to contribute to the expansion of the venous bed. In the future, this will cause congestion and damage to the venous valves.
- Effects of estrogens. During pregnancy, a huge dose of the hormone estrogen is released into a woman's body. They are necessary for the preservation and growth of the fetus. Estrogens reduce the risk of miscarriage by relaxing the muscles of the uterus. On the other hand, these substances negatively affect the contractility of blood vessels.
- Individual anatomical disorders. Some patients show individual anatomical features compared to the veins in the small pelvis. Their location is in principle unfavorable for the onset of pregnancy. Therefore, the onset of fertilization leads in most cases to the development of venous insufficiency.
Is there a link between this condition and lower extremity varicose veins?
Pelvic varicose veins are very similar to the condition of varicose veins in the legs. In both cases, the valves in the veins are involved, which help blood flow to the heart. The function of the valves to prevent blood backflow is impaired. When the keys collapse, the blood stagnates in the veins. Clogged blood vessels protrude and aggravate congestion. Pelvic venous overload syndrome develops mainly near the uterus, fallopian tubes, vulva, and even the vagina. The condition is usually associated with weight gain, which is inevitable during pregnancy.
Varicose veins usually occur in women:
- Between the ages of 20 and 45;
- during multiple pregnancies.
What are the signs and symptoms?
The most common complaint of injured women is pain of varying severity. Pain syndrome is permanent in nature and has no cyclical nature. Increased pain occurs:
- before the onset of menstruation;
- at the end of a hard day's work;
- after being on his feet for a long time;
- during or immediately after intercourse;
- in later stages of pregnancy.
All of these symptoms provide enough reason for a phlebologist. This condition can lead to a periodic increase in total body weight of 2-5 kg. This weight is mainly due to the flow of fluid into the abdominal cavity of the pelvis.
There are a number of other non-specific symptoms that vary in intensity. In general, symptoms are more likely to occur at the end of the day or after prolonged standing or even after intercourse. In some cases, the pain can be severe and can affect personal and social relationships.
Signs may also include:
- swelling of the vulva and vagina;
- varicose veins of the external genitals, buttocks, legs;
- abnormal menstrual bleeding;
- pain when touching the lower abdomen;
- pain during intercourse;
- painful periods;
- back pain;
- vaginal discharge;
- general weakness and apathy;
- feelings of depression and depression.
In most cases, the presence of pelvic congestion syndrome is not obvious, and diagnosis can only be made after other diseases have been ruled out. Similar disorders that may have the same symptoms include:
- endometriosis;
- uterine fibroids;
- uterine prolapse (the uterus sinks lower into the pelvis due to weak pelvic floor muscles).
Diagnostics and laboratory research
Laboratory tests are important to fully diagnose the presence of stagnation. A woman is usually assigned to a standard series of tests.
Ultrasound examination of pelvic organs. It helps assess the condition of the uterus and other organs in the pelvis. It can help visualize blood flow and the presence of varicose veins in the pool. The procedure is painless and takes about 30 minutes. It is usually cheap and efficient.
Phlebogram. This test was previously widely used to diagnose stagnation of blood in the pelvic cavity, but today, if possible, the procedure is being replaced by computed tomography. During the test, a special dye is injected into the lumbar vein and then X-rays are applied. The procedure takes about 30-45 minutes and is performed on an outpatient basis. The test is painless, but there is a risk of an allergic reaction to the contrast medium. The possibility of radiation exposure to the pelvic organs is not ruled out either.
Computed tomography is often used to diagnose pelvic varicose veins. This method allows you to visually examine the anatomy of the small pelvis and identify the varicose veins in the small pelvis. This is due to radiation exposure and is not recommended as a test in pregnant women.
Magnetic resonance imaging is a very useful test in diagnosing pelvic congestive syndrome. It does not use radiation or contrast media. This is a painless test. The images are high quality. This is the preferred method for diagnosing most cases. The test takes about 15 minutes and is performed on an outpatient basis.