Pelvic Venous Disorder, Blood Clot Risk, and What Blood Clot Awareness Month Means for Women.
By Dr. John S. Hogg, DABR, DABVLM, RPVI, RPhS, RVT, RVS
Founder, Medical Vein Clinic
March is Blood Clot Awareness Month, and while most people think about deep vein thrombosis in the legs, few realize that chronic pelvic pain can signal a condition that increases your risk of dangerous blood clots.
We see women who end up in our practice who have been living with pelvic pain for months, maybe years. They’ve seen doctors and have had many tests but nothing comes back abnormal. Meanwhile, the dull, throbbing ache in the lower abdomen continues, worse when standing for long periods, at the end of the day, and after intercourse.
That chronic pelvic pain may be caused by a vein problem, a condition called Pelvic Venous Disorder. Vein problems, left untreated, can lead to blood clots.
Pelvic Venous Disorder & Blood Clots
Pelvic Venous Disorder happens when ovarian and pelvic veins get dilated (congested) and form painful pelvic varicose veins. This condition can cause chronic pelvic pain in nearly a third of women during their lifetime, most commonly occurring between 20 and 50 years of age. It’s something our specialists effectively treat at Medical Vein Clinic with great results: up to 85% of women find relief from symptoms within two weeks.
Left untreated, Pelvic Venous Disorder creates perfect conditions for blood clots to form. When blood pools in dilated pelvic veins instead of flowing efficiently back to your heart, that stagnant blood can clot. In severe cases, untreated Pelvic Venous Disorder has been directly associated with deep vein thrombosis in the pelvic area. These clots can break loose and travel to your heart or lungs, causing a heart attack or pulmonary embolism.
If you have a history of blood clots, the risk becomes even more serious. The combination of pelvic vein congestion and existing clotting tendencies creates a dangerous situation that requires expert management.
Minimally Invasive Treatments
At Medical Vein Clinic, our board-certified vein doctors perform minimally invasive outpatient procedures like embolization to treat Pelvic Venous Disorder. These procedures target the problem veins directly, either by placing a stent or embolizing the vein that causes your symptoms. The treatment typically takes about an hour, and most women resume normal activities the following day.
If your chronic pelvic pain has been dismissed or you’ve been told your pain is not real, it is time to see a vein specialist. Thomas J. Gianis II, MD, FACS, FSVS, DABVLM, RPVI, RVT, performs these treatments at our clinic and he has years of experience helping patients find relief from this debilitating and often overlooked condition.
To explore solutions for your chronic pelvic pain that can prevent blood clots, call Medical Vein Clinic at 210-622-8000 or visit www.medicalveinclinic.com.
Healthy Legs Take You Further™
Dr. John Hogg, MD, DABR, DABVLM, RPVI, RPhS, RVT, RVS, is a board-certified radiologist specializing in Vascular & Interventional Radiology and the CEO/Founder of Medical Vein Clinic. With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Hogg has established San Antonio’s leading vascular treatment clinic, helping thousands of patients since 2017. To learn more, visit https://www.medicalveinclinic.com.
