Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Treatment in Pittsburgh, PA
A common problem among women, chronic pelvic pain can stem from a number of different causes. One such cause is Pelvic Congestion Syndrome, or PCS.
If you’re struggling with pelvic pain in the Pittsburgh area, contact Dr. Brent Steadman today to schedule a consultation. Dr. Steadman is a board-certified interventional radiologist with extensive experience diagnosing and treating the causes of pelvic pain, including PCS and uterine fibroids. Give us a call at (724) 503-6766 today to schedule a consultation, or request an appointment through our secure online form.
What Is Pelvic Congestion Syndrome?
If you’re experiencing chronic pain in your pelvic area, it can be due to an issue with your veins. Due to a number of different factors, the veins in a woman’s lower abdomen may not function as well as they should. When this happens, veins in the pelvis can enlarge and change shape, very similar to varicose veins. PCS often occurs in women who have recently experienced pregnancy and can become worse with each pregnancy after.
Symptoms of PCS
The most obvious symptom of PCS is pain in the pelvic region that lasts for more than a few months. This classifies the pain as chronic. In addition, you may experience the following:
- Dull pain while standing or sitting in your lower back and abdomen.
- Irritable bowel and/or bladder.
- Bulging veins in the pelvic region.
- Increasing pain while standing, walking, and having sex.
- Increased pain during periods.
- The sudden urge to urinate at random times.
Although you may experience some or all of these symptoms, there’s a chance that you will not. Please schedule an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing any pain that could be related to PCS.
Causes and Diagnosis of PCS
If your doctor feels that you are experiencing symptoms of PCS, they will then do a number of tests to rule out any causes. These tests can include urine tests, blood tests, ultrasounds, x-rays, CT scans, pelvic venography, and more based on your health. Because pelvic pain is not always easy to diagnose, it’s important to go through these tests to confirm the diagnosis and get you on the path to recovery.
While the majority of women diagnosed are between the ages of 20-45, PCS can affect any age of woman. There is no root cause of PCS, but there are many things that can contribute, including:
- Hormonal abnormalities
- Multiple previous pregnancies
- Weight gain
- Polycystic ovaries
Treatment of PCS
If you are diagnosed with PCS, your treatment options will be discussed up front with you by Dr. Steadman. The most common treatment option is ovarian vein embolization, which can help alleviate symptoms and pain.
Schedule a PCS Consultation
Contact Pittsburgh Fibroids today to learn more about treatment options for PCS. Give us a call at (724) 503-6766 today to schedule a consultation in Pittsburgh, or request an appointment through our secure online form.