A patient's guide to pelvic congestion

Pelvic pain that's worse when you stand? Ask about your veins.

Clear, balanced guides to pelvic congestion syndrome and other pelvic vein disorders: the symptoms, the tests, the treatments and what recovery is like. Written for patients in Singapore, Southeast Asia and worldwide, and based on current clinical guidelines.

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Clear, balanced & sourced

No jargonNo hard sellSources on every pageYour pain taken seriouslyAlways when to see a doctor

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Essential reading

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Understanding Pelvic Vein Conditions

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome: What It Is, Who Gets It and Why It's Missed

What pelvic congestion syndrome is, how widened and refluxing pelvic veins cause a dull, heavy pelvic ache, who gets it, why it is often missed, and how it is diagnosed and treated.

5 min read · Sources cited

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Conditions

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Symptoms: The Dragging Ache That Worsens When You Stand

6 min read

Diagnosis

How Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Is Diagnosed: Tests, Scans and What to Ask

6 min read

Treatments

Ovarian Vein Embolisation (Embolization): How It Works and Who It Helps

7 min read

Conditions

Vulvar Varicose Veins (Vulvar Varicosities): Causes, Symptoms and When They Point to Pelvic Reflux

6 min read

Long-term pelvic pain deserves a full explanation. Pelvic veins are one cause that is easy to miss.

Pelvic Vein Guide editorial approach

7 sections

Browse the guide

Understanding Pelvic Vein Conditions

What pelvic congestion is, its symptoms, causes and related conditions.

Diagnosis and Tests

How doctors confirm pelvic vein problems and rule out other causes.

Treatment Options

Embolisation, stenting, medicines and other options, explained.

Recovery and Living Well

What to expect after treatment, and day-to-day self-care.

Pregnancy, Sex and Women's Health

Pregnancy, fertility, periods, menopause and pain during sex.

Men's Pelvic Vein Health

Varicocele, its symptoms, treatment and effect on fertility.

Questions and Costs

Is it serious? Who treats it? What does it cost?

Free tool

Could your pelvic pain be venous?

Answer 9 quick questions about pelvic aching, pain after sex, visible veins and what makes it better or worse. You'll get a plain-language summary and a sense of whether to see a doctor. It's anonymous and nothing is stored.

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01Is there a dull, dragging ache low in your pelvis?

02Is it worse after standing, and better lying down?

03Do you ache during or after sex?

04Any varicose veins around the vulva, buttocks or thighs?

One family of conditions

Pelvic vein disorders, not just one

Doctors now group these conditions together as pelvic venous disorders. They share a cause, blood flowing the wrong way or pooling in veins of the abdomen and pelvis, and they often overlap.

Pelvic congestion syndromeA dull, heavy pelvic ache from widened, refluxing veins.

Vulval varicose veinsVisible veins around the vulva, often first seen in pregnancy.

Veins on the buttocks and thighsLeg varicose veins fed from the pelvis.

Nutcracker syndromeThe left kidney vein squeezed between two arteries.

May-Thurner syndromeThe left iliac vein compressed by the right iliac artery.

VaricoceleThe male equivalent: widened veins around the testicle.

Seeing a specialist

How we write

Our standards

Evidence first

We base articles on clinical guidelines and consensus statements, and we say when the evidence is still limited.

ii.

Written for patients

Plain English, key takeaways up front, and medical terms explained in our glossary.

iii.

The whole picture

Pelvic pain has many causes. We explain what else doctors check for, not only the veins.

iv.

Kept current

Every article shows when it was last updated. Spot an error? Tell us.

When it's an emergencyIf you have sudden severe pelvic or abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, chest pain or breathlessness, seek emergency care immediately (Singapore: call 995).