pubic pain? What is this?

[moonglowmama]

This is my fourth pregnancy to get this far- I'm 30 weeks. But it's the first time I've felt something like this pain. It is in my low pelvic area, far on the right side, and feels like a pinched nerve or something like that. It gets better for a few minutes after doing pelvic rocks, but then bothers me again. It seems like it gets worse as the day wears on.

Any one experienced it before and can tell me what is causing it and if I can do anything about it?

I'll talk to my midwife about next visit, but I don't want to bother her about it since it's not terribly painful. Just annoying and painful from time to time.

[staceychev]

Is it right on the pubic bone? Could be SPD (symphisis pubic dysfunction). There's definitely a group of us here who suffer from it.. if you search back a couple of pages, you should be able to find a thread. A lot of people have found relief from chiropractic, some from applying ice or heat.

Take a look at this explanation (disregard the site it comes from: SPD affects thin women, too) and see if it fits:
http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/pubicpain.htm

[slgt]

Another possibility could be an injured psoas...I pulled mine around 7 mos, and was in a lot of pain until I birthed DD. It was a strong ache, sometimes sharp, and was on the right side and actually descended all the way down to my pubic area. Sex was painful because of it, and exercise made it worse.

[moonglowmama]

Thanks. I'm going to look into both of those. Mine hurts right on my pubic mound (sorry for the tmi) and on the far right side. Going for walks and sitting wrong seem to make it worse.

[leila1213]

I had round ligament pain right in front of my pubic bone, but on the left side. It's not at all what I remember round ligament pain feeling like with my first. On reading more, I found out that it could be on either side or both, towards the middle or more towards the hips (like mine was last pregnancy). Doing arm and leg lifts in table pose can help strengthen the area. Doing warrior I against a wall can stretch it out really good. And wearing a belt or wrap (even belly band) can provide support while you are doing daily activities. Also, just taking it easy helps a lot.

[staceychev]

Oh, and you know one thing that helps me? Sitting on a balance ball in the evening instead of a chair or the couch. If you have access to one, it might be something to check out.

[moonglowmama]

yes! I love my balance ball. I've been using it more, and that helps. Any kind of lounging position makes it worse, as well as laying on my right side without enough belly support.

Since I've posted I've been trying to be aware of what helps and what doesn't. Doing yoga helps some too, and especially pelvic rocks, especially if I follow it with the ball or remaining upright.

It doesn't seem as severe as spd or pulling my psoas (which I had to look up!).

[Cersha]

Originally Posted by moonglowmama

Thanks. I'm going to look into both of those. Mine hurts right on my pubic mound (sorry for the tmi) and on the far right side. Going for walks and sitting wrong seem to make it worse.

SPD. No question. It sucks. The only thing that helps me is chiro adjustments.

[Cersha]

Originally Posted by leila1213

I had round ligament pain right in front of my pubic bone, but on the left side. It's not at all what I remember round ligament pain feeling like with my first. On reading more, I found out that it could be on either side or both, towards the middle or more towards the hips (like mine was last pregnancy). Doing arm and leg lifts in table pose can help strengthen the area. Doing warrior I against a wall can stretch it out really good. And wearing a belt or wrap (even belly band) can provide support while you are doing daily activities. Also, just taking it easy helps a lot.

If it is SPD, PLEASE don't do these things. These are sure to make it worse.
The other day, I forgot for a second and tried to push something with one of my feet, OUCHIE. I remembered fast.

[Thankful'n'Blessed]

With my second, I had something similar. I went to see my chiropractor and she just called it "pubic bone separation". Probably not the real term for it though. It GREATLY helped to get adjusted. It helped me to feel more comfortable that she was a female because she would actually adjust my pubic bone somehow. It felt immediately better. She said it was caused by all the progesterone loosening things up, and because of all the added weight/pressure form the baby. I have a good idea it also had something to do with the fact that my muscles were not very toned, to kind of hold things in place like they should. The upside is that it went away after the birth. Hang in there!

[sostinkinhappy]

Originally Posted by Thankful'n'Blessed

With my second, I had something similar. I went to see my chiropractor and she just called it "pubic bone separation". Probably not the real term for it though.

The technical term for it is symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), meaning that the joint of the pubic bone is either starting to separate or has separated. Here is a great resource to learn more about it: http://www.birthsource.com/scripts/a...?articleid=189.

More severe forms of symphysis pubis dysfunction are called diastasis symphysis pubic (DSP) which is when an actual gap between the joint forms. This condition can be debilitating and may even necessitate being on disability for the last part of pregnancy (ask me how I know ). You can read more about it here: http://www.e-radiography.net/radpath..._symphysis.htm

What I find most helpful is ice packs (frequently!), chiropractic care by someone who knows how to adjust this joint (usually a woman), and avoiding doing anything that aggravates it (lunging, uphill walking, rolling over in bed to quickly, etc.) The best cure for it though is birth, which sounds like a blithe, easy answer, but it is the only thing that brought permanent relief the last two times I have had trouble with it.

I hope you are able to find some comfort from some of the suggestions!

[sostinkinhappy]

Originally Posted by moonglowmama

Thanks. I'm going to look into both of those. Mine hurts right on my pubic mound (sorry for the tmi) and on the far right side. Going for walks and sitting wrong seem to make it worse.

Definitely sounds like SPD to me. For me, walking was/is one of the biggest culprits in aggravating it & sitting in the wrong position or the wrong chair can still bring me to tears.

Like a previous poster mentioned, using a balance ball to sit on was really useful for me as well, especially towards the end of my last pregnancy.

[leila1213]

Originally Posted by Cersha

If it is SPD, PLEASE don't do these things. These are sure to make it worse.
The other day, I forgot for a second and tried to push something with one of my feet, OUCHIE. I remembered fast.

Yeah, I had the chiro check it out and she said the pubic symphisis was fine. It does hurt if I try to push things with my feet, like you said. I don't think any of the things I mentioned included that type of motion?

[Nicolette507]

I started to feel pubic pain around 22 weeks (now at 30 weeks) I work with Physical therapists and they all recommended I see a physical therapist for exercises (I work with children under three, so the PT's I work with haven't worked with pregnant women in ages). I would definitely recommend seeing a physical therapist, not only could they check to see what exactly is going on with your muscles, bones, ligaments, etc, she or he could also give you specific exercises to put things back into place (even temporarily). The biggest things that seem to help
1) do not sit with your legs crossed or out to the sides, in other words...keep you knees together as much as possible, keep them together when getting into a car, as well and when turning over in bed (also keep a pillow between your knees)
2) one of the best exercises besides kegals, is to put a towel or fist in between your knees while lying on the floor with bent knees and squeeze your thighs together holding for 6 seconds, repeat 3 times, 6 times per day.
3) Invest in an SI belt, it will actually function as a replacement for your ligaments which are not doing their job due to the pregnancy horomone, relaxin. I use this one http://www.amazon.com/Maternity-Supp...2128620&sr=8-3

Hope this helps, seeing a PT will be great to get specific exercises to meet your needs!

[staceychev]

Chalk it up to preggo brain: I keep thinking of things to add.

Anyway, one thing I discovered in my first pregnancy was that sitting with my legs hanging exacerbated it. I'm a high school teacher and used to sit perched on my desk in the front of the classroom, but I found that doing that (as well as sitting on bar stools with legs dangling ) made the pain much worse.

[Jenica]

I've been following this thread with interest because I have the same pain as the OP. At first it was really mild so I was hoping it was not SPD but it's been getting progressively worse (I'm 26 weeks now). Yesterday I went to put on my shoes while standing up and OWW! I could barely walk for about 10 minutes afterwards. So I'm pretty sure it is SPD at this point.

I read the link posted by StaceyChev and now I'm worried about it affecting the position of the baby. This is my first and I really want to have a natural birth. So I was wondering does it have to be pretty severe to cause positioning problems (ie breech etc)?

Sorry for high jacking your thread MoonGlowMamma, I hope you don't mind.

[moonglowmama]

Jenica, I don't mind! I'm sorry yours is getting worse.

Mine has actually improved quite a bit by just paying attention to how I'm sitting. I don't cross my legs anymore and I noticed I had been sitting on a chair and turning my upper body sideways to work on the computer, so I moved my computer. And, I do pelvic rocks more often and try to sleep with my spine more aligned, with a pillow behind for support. I'm actually able to go for walks again with my family, which is nice!

btw, I'm 31 weeks now.

[Cersha]

Originally Posted by Jenica

I've been following this thread with interest because I have the same pain as the OP. At first it was really mild so I was hoping it was not SPD but it's been getting progressively worse (I'm 26 weeks now). Yesterday I went to put on my shoes while standing up and OWW! I could barely walk for about 10 minutes afterwards. So I'm pretty sure it is SPD at this point.

I read the link posted by StaceyChev and now I'm worried about it affecting the position of the baby. This is my first and I really want to have a natural birth. So I was wondering does it have to be pretty severe to cause positioning problems (ie breech etc)?

Sorry for high jacking your thread MoonGlowMamma, I hope you don't mind.

With my first, he was breech until I got adjusted for the SPD. It might have been a coincidence...but, I won't be neglecting getting adjusted with this one...just in case.

[jsh7809]

Originally Posted by moonglowmama

Thanks. I'm going to look into both of those. Mine hurts right on my pubic mound (sorry for the tmi) and on the far right side. Going for walks and sitting wrong seem to make it worse.

Hmm.. mine is exactly the same, seems to be getting worse (I've had it since probably the middle of my 5th month and am close to 7 months now). It feels like there's a pinched nerve in my hip socket/ joint and some kind of bruising over the right side of my mons. Ugh! I'm going tolook into the SPD that other posters suggest, thanks for the info!