Whilst you are pregnant, their is an expectation from non-pregnant people is that you should be a picture of blooming health, full of life, sailing around with that lovely pregnancy glow, looking forward to that little bundle of joy, at least once the awful morning sickness has eased off anyway. In fact a lot of pregnancy articles, books and websites say that once the first few months are passed that you will feel healthier and that you should take advantage of this time before the heaviness and exhaustion of the third trimester kicks in.
So what if pregnancy, leaves you unable to walk, unable to move in bed, climb stairs, get in and out of the car, sit up for any short period of time, sit down for any long period of time or even pick your child up?… what do you do then? Welcome to the excruciating world of Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction, or as it is more commonly known as PPGP (Pregnancy pelvic girdle pain) or SPD (symphasis pubic dysfunction).
On average it estimated that PPGP, or SPD as it's sometimes known, affects up to one in five pregnant women some report mild cases of pain, where other women report extremely severe pain . It’s not known exactly why pelvic pain affects some women, but it’s thought to be linked to a number of issues, including previous damage to the pelvis, pelvic joints moving unevenly, and the weight or position of the baby.
Factors that may make a woman more susceptible to develop PPGP or SPD include:
- having a history of lower back or pelvic girdle pain
- previous injury to the pelvis – for example, from a fall or accident
- having PPGP/SPD in a previous pregnancy
- a hard physical job
My story:- In previous pregnancy's I have been reasonably well apart from the odd urine infection and high blood pressure in the latter parts so it has come as quite a shock to be like this so early on, Around four weeks ago, I took a trip to my GP with some hip pain and lower pelvis pain it wasn't excruciating pain but enough pain for me to realise that standing or siting for an amount of pain would leave me limping or moaning with pain, I thought I had over done it in the garden a few days previously and the doctor put it down to an acute hip and pelvis pain and strain.
As my week on the sick from work passed by the pain really wasn't getting better in fact it had gotten worse, so after that week I took a trip back to the GP where she examined me again in more depth this time and in fact her examination made me about hit the ceiling I was crying with the pain.
She told me she thought it was SPD and would refer me for physio - to help and to look at me further in the meantime she prescribed me some codeine, paracetamol and told me to rest, rest and get more rest - as you can imagine with two boys aged two and four this is far easier said than done.
On seeing the physio she advised me about what was happening to my hips and pelvis that they were twisting somehow and the muscles were clinging onto the bone making, which in turn was causing the pain - she gave me a tubi-grip belt the other made belt was too painful and was pressing into my scar tissue, she then gave me crutches to walk on - I wasn't impressed at all I'm still not I have got to use them all the time, doing day to day things are a nightmare anyway but on crutches the boys would have a field day.
I am going to be blogging in a later post about support where YOU can get help, if needed alongside some self help tips, if you are suffering like me remember don't be to hard on your self this is a recognised pregnancy related condition it is completely debilitating to an extent but there is support out there and you can always leave me a comment I will get back to you.
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