Pubic Symphysis Pain

[~BEXTER~]

Does it get better, or does it stay painful?

[Gracie's Mum]

I'm so glad to hear i'm not alone with this pain! I am only 27 weeks this week and I am in so much pain a lot of the time I feel like I am totally useless, and i have another 13 weeks of this to go Even simple things like stepping into my pants is a massive chore, and luckily I have a 4x4 so getting out of and into the car is a lot easier as my hips/pelvis dont have to bend downwards. Ahhh its so awful getting out of bed isn't it? Especially when we're getting up a few times a night to go to the toilet! I try to keep my legs as tightly together as possible and swing around, pulling myself up is the bad part! Even just getting up from the leather couch can be hard sometimes, I love when my partner helps me up its just so painful sometimes!! I feel completely useless with so much time left to go, I can't work because of the pain (I'm a nurse) I am going to start physio next week so i hope it helps!! I really feel for all you ladies, its no fun at all!

[FearlessLeader]

re. not being able to afford a physio- if you are a public patient they may have a maternal physio you can see at the hospital, i did that and only had to wait a week for an appointment, and it was all on medicare. One thing the physio recommended for pain relief was to fill condoms with water and freeze them, then wrap in a facewasher and pop in your pants for pain relief. You will feel like an idiot buying condoms when clearly pregnant, but OMG this was the one thing that gave me some relief.

Also make sure you have them put it on your notes at the hospital that you have it so when you're in labour the middies can help you get into possies that won't hurt your pelvis.

Oh, and mine was gone straight after the birth as well.

[Bemused]

I found I was aggravating mine by waddling. I was overly self conscious about having put on a bit of weight on my bum and thighs and started waddling unnecessarily! Now that I'm walking normally again, no more pain for 2 weeks! And I'm still even jogging and riding my horse, which I initially thought were the causes of the problem.

[JenH]

Thanks so much for the link! This describes exactly how I've been feeling. I've been saying to people it feels as though I am bruised down there, like I have jumped on my bike for the first time in months. So painful. Never thought to say it to the midwife as I thought it was normal at this stage (I'm 37 weeks)
Hope those of us suffering find relief. I might pop to the hospital physio this week and see what they say.

[~BEXTER~]

JenH- My bub is 4.5 months old now and I can still remember the pain I was in. lol

It was not fun at all

I had alot of problems with my pelvis up until my son was about 13 weeks old, like I couldn't sleep on my side as it was painful, rolling over in bed, but I was told I may have fractured mine in the pregnancy as my baby was so big, not sure about that but I was sore for a while.

When I told the doctors and midwifes about it, they just brushed it off, until I was birthing my son (on my knees) and I was told I had to life my leg... There was not way I could so the midwife had to do it for me.

Good luck with everything.

[First time parent]

Hi, can someone recommend a physio for Pelvic Instability? I am from Fairfield, Melbourne. This is my first pregnancy (and possibly last), pain started around 24 weeks. Am sooo nervous about birth, according to online research, C-section would be best as its reduces pelvic stretching.

[becca83]

OK... I had the exact same thing with my first two prenancies, as mentioned in another post... it starts earlier with subsequent pregnancies as the ligaments are already "lax" the extra boosts of the hormone "relaxin" doesnt help in the slightest.

I am now onto my 3rd preg (god knows why... my body does NOT deal with this well at all). i was hospitalised several times with both previous preg, for pain management and a string of other hidious medical issues.

No amount of physio helped me at all, but that is just me, every one is different. if anything it made it worse because they managed to manipulate the muscles and ligaments to the point both of my sacroilliacs in my lower back went, which meant that for the last 3 months of my pregnancy i was unable to walk and was heavily medicated on tramadol for the pain... this was the worst 3 months of my life!

i too had the support belt which is fine, but it's basically a placebo, it masked the problem, they only really work if they are used in conjunction with proper exercises, these "should" be tailored to "your" specific condition and not just handed a leaflet of generic strength building exercises.

along side the belt they can also strap your pelvis, but be warned make sure you have a s#&t load of vegetable oil on hand when you remove it.... or your skin will go with it!

if the pain is to the point it is debillatating your GP/OB/Gyn, should be able to prescribe you panadine forte at the very least.

it's perfectly safe to take codine based medications (provided they are prescribed to YOU DURING your preg) as it's what they classify as a class A drug, (safe during pregnancy).

i HATE taking anything even when im not pregnant, but if you are in pain your blood pressure can increase and that is not usually a good thing considering a constant high BP (which can happen when you are in pain all the time) means the blood vessels in your heart tend to narrow making it harder for the blood to flow. but being pregnant we all have our BP checked and you OB/gyn will know if that is an issue at all that is being caused by pain and discomfort


im now 15 weeks again and i can feel it already... and with 2 kids, a household and a hubby that works away all the time... ITS NOT FUN!!!! so i can totally sympathise with everyone that is in the same boat!

I must say that the only thing that kind of bought any kind of small relief was a TENS machine, some chemists hire them out, even physios do as well, they are worth their weight in gold, my hubby's best friend lent me one for my entire preg and it was a god send! and when you use them in conjunction with medicated pain relief they can be a very big help with the whole pain management thing!

you may even be able to pick up a cheap one online, if not ask your physio at least what their thoughts are on a TENS machine!

Good luck... hope you find some relief soon!