Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction

When I was pregnant with Pickle (2012) I remember feeling this burning sensation in my pelvis. It was hard to go up stairs (we lived on a 3rd floor apartment at the time), putting on pants was daunting, and even laying down was difficult. I remember it started around 14 weeks, which doesn’t seem like “that far along” to have serious complaints. I delt with the pain through the entire pregnancy thinking it was normal. My husband would have to help me put my pants on, help me in and out of the shower or tub, and I was extremely slow on stairs. After he was born and I made it passed the 8 week post partum mark, the pain seemingly vanished.

I honestly do not recall having it with Monkey’s pregnancy at all. Though at some point I did find out what I was experiencing with Pickle had a name and was not considered “normal”.

Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), or pelvic girdle pain as others may call it. It is said to affect 1 out of 5 women during pregnancy and each experiences different levels of it. Essentially (per my understanding), the ligaments that hold up the pelvis become too lose and the pelvis winds up moving in ways that it really shouldn’t be, thus causing pain.

Now that I am pregnant again, I have been dealing with the same pains. Since I finally knew what these pains were called, I was able to do some more research on relief. The only thing that can be done at home, that I found, is taking baths with epsom salts. Though for me, it doesn’t do anything for the long term (usually lasts about 1 night if I am lucky).

In my support group for VBAC’s, many women discussed chiropractic care for SPD. I have always been skeptical about chiropractic care. Mainly because you’re trusting someone else with the skeleton of your body. Granted they are suppose to be professionals, it still didn’t seem like something I wanted to do. That is, until I got desperate.

I cannot lay, walk, stand up, sit down, or put on pants without being in pain. Sleeping has been very rough because of it. So, I started looking into my insurance coverage. I was surprised to find out I somehow met my deductible for the year and that our insurance finally covers chiropractic care (it never use to). I looked up in network chiros for where I live and then matched it to Webster Certified chiros (pregnancy related) near me. I called the first match that I found.

Last week, I went to my first appointment. Since I am pregnant, we did not do the x-rays like they normally do. Instead we did just a physical exam. The chiropractor assessed my spine and legs just by touching and wiggling joints. She also did a few resistance tests. I found out some pretty interesting things. Not only was I dealing with SPD, but I also have a twisted neck, tilted pelvis, and one leg is shorter than the other because of it. I sort of felt like a mutant when she told me all of this. Though at the same time, it made sense as to why I have been in so much pain (and may even be related to my pinched nerve in my upper back). She started adjustments right away.

One thing I was not told was how much adjustments can actually hurt! The first day was not terrible, other than her pushing on my pubic bone. By the second time I went, everything hurt! I wasn’t sure what is considered normal because I have never been before. Everyone I talk to says it is normal because my body has been use to being out of whack for so long. My chiropractor pretty much said the same thing. She has me going 3 times a week right now. I won’t lie, I have considered not going back. I feel like my bones are bruised and I can’t move much. She found pains I didn’t even know I had. Somehow she can tell just by looking, “that is tender isn’t it” as she pushes on me, “why yes it is apparently”.

I have been told not to stop going because once my body does get back where it needs to be and settles down, I will feel a lot better. Right now I am still skeptical, but I am just desperate something will finally click and I will get relief. If nothing else, it is suppose to help with labor and birthing. I suppose I will see if that holds true in a few months. In the meantime I am trying to just take it easy. It is all I really can do at this point.

-Jenn