pelvic pain - anyone heard of SPD? anyone suffer from it?

[minxie]

For the past 2 weeks Ive been having a pain on one side of my groin..near the pelvic bone I guess. Its making walking and just moving from side to side painful.

I read some online and magazine articles by other pregnant women suffering the same and they seem to suggest it could be SPD - Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. Its said to start for some women after the 1st trimester(around the middle of pregnancy) or after birth.

When I brought it to the attention of my mid-wife, she didnt know much about SPD and said its likely the pain is unpregnancy related. The more I read about SPD, the more I think my pain is caused by it and I will go see a doctor I think.

If any of you have been diagnosed with it Id love to hear from you...what treatment are you receiving? does it get any better? what helps the pain? how are you coping?

 

[ella]

Never heard of it sorry - but you should ask your gp to refer you to physio - they are generally the most knowledgeable on these types of conditions

 

[emma28]

Poor you

I've read lots of women on here sufferening with that so I'm sure you'll get more help than I can give you.

I get a pain where you've described on my left but with me it comes and goes. I'm hoping it's sciatic pain and it will stop as the baby moves further up....it certainly seems to be improving since 18 weeks when I was really worried and uncomfortable.

Hope it gets better for you

 

[minxie]

Thanks - just called my doctor..he said to get in touch with the midwife..so im just waiting for her to call back. The pain is getting silly now and even standing up from a chair is very painful.

I didnt think it was common until i read the above post...so I did a search and theres loads of info/questions on it from other members..all very helpful to read.

 

[happy-chick]

Ive been referred to a physiotherapist to check for SPD but turns out I dont have it & they think its just pelvic pain & sciatica. I know it can be very painful though, there are a few ladies on here that are suffering from SPD so hopefully they will see your post

 

[DebbieM]

My sister has 3 kids. First pregnancy was fine. Second saw her in a lot of pain with SPD and the third time was just plain awful. She ended up having physio and toward the end of her pregnancy she ended up using crutches and on painkillers which actually didn't do anything.

She had a special belt which helped for a few days but was uncomfortable and annoying to use as you couldn't sit with it on for more than about 10 mins at a time as it squashed the baby.

Even if you do turn out to have SPD, it doesn't mean that it is going to be really bad. Different people have different severities. My sisters was severe although I know of people who have had it even worse than that.

Your MW should know about it!

 

[Squiglet]

I had it pretty bad last time I was pregnant... but nothing was known about it much 8 years ago. It's started again this time round... much earlier... so probably by the time I get to being quite large... It will be quite difficult.

there's lots of new evidence to suggest that SPD is caused by pelvic and spinal misalignment. When the ligaments begin to soften during pregnancy, the bones in the pelvic area do not seperate in equal amounts and that by seeing a Chiropractor or Osteopath will help immensely in realigning that area. There was no information available to me last time so I never had this done, so can't comment if it is correct, but I am certainly going to see my local osteopathic angel, who helped me go from screaming, unable to walk, back agony to walking fine in four days.

I've done research this time on SPD as there is much more information available... When my daughter was born she was back to back and her cord got trapped around her neck... Because she was back to back, the cord kept getting crushed during my contractions which caused Tia to go into distress at the end. Seemingly in women with SPD, there is more incidences of the babies being misaligned or not engaging during birth, and this can cause complications, which in my case it did. This is why I'm thinking of a realignment.

The good news is, I went on and had a normal birth with the help of an epidural and the SPD vanished almost immediately after. I still had occasional twinges but nothing nearly as bad as when I was pregnant. Be careful, tell all midwives and doctors dealing with you, and if they don't know much, print off some information from the net and give it to them.

Its tough having it... But the prize at the end is more than worth it.

 

[purple13]

there's a sticky in tri 3 about exercises for spd... might be worth taking a look at?

xx

 

[minxie]

your responses are so helpful thank you. I will go and look at that spd sticky in tri 3 - thank you.

My midwife has referred me to my doctor (have an appointment tomorrow)...if the doctor confirms its pregnancy related and possibly spd she said she would refer me to the hospital physio..so fingers crossed whatever it is is sorted/controlled soon.

I notice the pain comes and goes. This morning when I first posted, I could not walk after I felt my hip 'crack'. Then the pain eased when I laid down and rested, but I would get a painful twinge if I moved from side to side. When I got up I could walk (with discomfort but not loads of pain) and then when walking up the stairs it suddenly all started again. I feel like a 90 year old!

 

[minxie]

For the past 2 weeks Ive been having a pain on one side of my groin..near the pelvic bone I guess. Its making walking and just moving from side to side painful.

I read some online and magazine articles by other pregnant women suffering the same and they seem to suggest it could be SPD - Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. Its said to start for some women after the 1st trimester(around the middle of pregnancy) or after birth.

When I brought it to the attention of my mid-wife, she didnt know much about SPD and said its likely the pain is unpregnancy related. The more I read about SPD, the more I think my pain is caused by it and I will go see a doctor I think.

If any of you have been diagnosed with it Id love to hear from you...what treatment are you receiving? does it get any better? what helps the pain? how are you coping?

 

[ella]

Never heard of it sorry - but you should ask your gp to refer you to physio - they are generally the most knowledgeable on these types of conditions

 

[emma28]

Poor you

I've read lots of women on here sufferening with that so I'm sure you'll get more help than I can give you.

I get a pain where you've described on my left but with me it comes and goes. I'm hoping it's sciatic pain and it will stop as the baby moves further up....it certainly seems to be improving since 18 weeks when I was really worried and uncomfortable.

Hope it gets better for you

 

[minxie]

Thanks - just called my doctor..he said to get in touch with the midwife..so im just waiting for her to call back. The pain is getting silly now and even standing up from a chair is very painful.

I didnt think it was common until i read the above post...so I did a search and theres loads of info/questions on it from other members..all very helpful to read.

 

[happy-chick]

Ive been referred to a physiotherapist to check for SPD but turns out I dont have it & they think its just pelvic pain & sciatica. I know it can be very painful though, there are a few ladies on here that are suffering from SPD so hopefully they will see your post

 

[DebbieM]

My sister has 3 kids. First pregnancy was fine. Second saw her in a lot of pain with SPD and the third time was just plain awful. She ended up having physio and toward the end of her pregnancy she ended up using crutches and on painkillers which actually didn't do anything.

She had a special belt which helped for a few days but was uncomfortable and annoying to use as you couldn't sit with it on for more than about 10 mins at a time as it squashed the baby.

Even if you do turn out to have SPD, it doesn't mean that it is going to be really bad. Different people have different severities. My sisters was severe although I know of people who have had it even worse than that.

Your MW should know about it!

 

[Squiglet]

I had it pretty bad last time I was pregnant... but nothing was known about it much 8 years ago. It's started again this time round... much earlier... so probably by the time I get to being quite large... It will be quite difficult.

there's lots of new evidence to suggest that SPD is caused by pelvic and spinal misalignment. When the ligaments begin to soften during pregnancy, the bones in the pelvic area do not seperate in equal amounts and that by seeing a Chiropractor or Osteopath will help immensely in realigning that area. There was no information available to me last time so I never had this done, so can't comment if it is correct, but I am certainly going to see my local osteopathic angel, who helped me go from screaming, unable to walk, back agony to walking fine in four days.

I've done research this time on SPD as there is much more information available... When my daughter was born she was back to back and her cord got trapped around her neck... Because she was back to back, the cord kept getting crushed during my contractions which caused Tia to go into distress at the end. Seemingly in women with SPD, there is more incidences of the babies being misaligned or not engaging during birth, and this can cause complications, which in my case it did. This is why I'm thinking of a realignment.

The good news is, I went on and had a normal birth with the help of an epidural and the SPD vanished almost immediately after. I still had occasional twinges but nothing nearly as bad as when I was pregnant. Be careful, tell all midwives and doctors dealing with you, and if they don't know much, print off some information from the net and give it to them.

Its tough having it... But the prize at the end is more than worth it.

 

[purple13]

there's a sticky in tri 3 about exercises for spd... might be worth taking a look at?

xx

 

[minxie]

your responses are so helpful thank you. I will go and look at that spd sticky in tri 3 - thank you.

My midwife has referred me to my doctor (have an appointment tomorrow)...if the doctor confirms its pregnancy related and possibly spd she said she would refer me to the hospital physio..so fingers crossed whatever it is is sorted/controlled soon.

I notice the pain comes and goes. This morning when I first posted, I could not walk after I felt my hip 'crack'. Then the pain eased when I laid down and rested, but I would get a painful twinge if I moved from side to side. When I got up I could walk (with discomfort but not loads of pain) and then when walking up the stairs it suddenly all started again. I feel like a 90 year old!