Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS)

What is a PCS?

Pelvic congestion is a painful condition caused by enlarged or varicose veins in the pelvis. This condition is often difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms are similar to many other pelvic and abdominal health conditions.
The symptoms of this condition include persistent dull pain in the abdomen and/or pelvis, which becomes more intense when standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time. PCS affects about one-third of all women at some point in their lives, especially during their childbearing years. It can also be a difficult condition to diagnose because the symptoms of PCS are similar to that of other health conditions experienced by women.

What happens if I don’t treat Pelvic Congestion Syndrome?

Left untreated, PCS can worsen over time and could have a significant impact on your quality of life. In addition, symptoms such as pain during intercourse, heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding and varicose veins in the vulva or legs may become more pronounced.
Doctor pressing on a patient's abdomen during an examination

Treatment Options

Conservative treatment options for PCS include medication to control the pain, hormone therapy and the wearing compression garments. If these do not work, some advocate for surgical procedures such as laparoscopic vein ligation or even hysterectomy. Before considering surgery, however, it may be a good idea to look into the minimally invasive alternatives.
Two such alternatives are ovarian vein embolization (OVE) and sclerotherapy. These procedures effectively shrink or close the affected veins, reducing inflammation and the associated pain and other symptoms. OVE is now considered to be a first-line treatment for PCS because it is minimally invasive and very effective.
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International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS)

Answer each question about your urinary symptoms over the past month. Your total score is calculated instantly.

0 of 7 answered

1. Incomplete Emptying: How often have you had the sensation of not emptying your bladder?

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2. Frequency: How often have you had to urinate less than every two hours?

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3. Intermittency: How often have you found you stopped and started again several times when you urinated?

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4. Urgency: How often have you found it difficult to postpone urination?

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5. Weak Stream: How often have you had a weak urinary stream?

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6. Straining: How often have you had to strain to start urination?

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7. Nocturia: How many times did you typically get up at night to urinate?

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Please answer all questions to see your score.

Your I-PSS score

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This score is for informational purposes and is not a diagnosis. Share it with your provider to discuss what it means for you — or fill out the form on this page to talk with our team.

Talk to our team

WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index

Rate each activity by the degree of difficulty you have experienced in the last 48 hours due to your knee.

0 of 24 answered

Pain

1. Walking

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2. Stair climbing

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3. Nocturnal

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4. Rest

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5. Weight bearing

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Stiffness

1. Morning stiffness

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2. Stiffness occurring later in the day

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Physical Function

1. Descending stairs

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2. Ascending stairs

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3. Rise from sitting

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4. Standing

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5. Bending to floor

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6. Walking on flat surface

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7. Getting in/out of car

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8. Going shopping

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9. Putting on socks

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10. Lying in bed

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11. Taking off socks

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12. Rising from bed

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13. Getting in/out of bath

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14. Sitting

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15. Getting on/off toilet

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16. Heavy domestic duties

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17. Light domestic duties

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Please answer all questions to see your score.

Your WOMAC score

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This score is for informational purposes and is not a diagnosis. Share it with your provider to discuss what it means for you — or fill out the form on this page to talk with our team.

Talk to our team

Foot & Ankle Disability Index (FADI)

Rate each item by your current level of difficulty. Higher scores indicate better foot and ankle function.

0 of 26 answered

Activity

1. Standing

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2. Walking on even ground

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3. Walking on even ground without shoes

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4. Walking up hills

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5. Walking down hills

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6. Going up stairs

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7. Going down stairs

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8. Walking on uneven ground

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9. Stepping up and down curbs

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10. Squatting

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11. Sleeping

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12. Coming up to your toes

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13. Walking initially

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14. Walking 5 minutes or less

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15. Walking approximately 10 minutes

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16. Walking 15 minutes or greater

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17. Home responsibilities

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18. Activities of daily living

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19. Personal care

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20. Light to moderate work (standing, walking)

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21. Heavy work (push/pulling, climbing, carrying)

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22. Recreational activities

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Pain

23. General level of pain

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24. Pain at rest

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25. Pain during your normal activity

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26. Pain first thing in the morning

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Please answer all questions to see your score.

Your FADI score

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This score is for informational purposes and is not a diagnosis. Share it with your provider to discuss what it means for you — or fill out the form on this page to talk with our team.

Talk to our team

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