Pregnancy Pain

So at 12 weeks I started suffering my first bouts of pelvic pain/back/groin pain. Really suffering! I couldn't walk, sit or lay down without pain somewhere. It got to a point where I would wake up in the middle of the night crying.

I did research all week and finally found a physical therapy place that I felt good about.

I went today and it was so great. We did exercises that allowed my pelvis to align itself. And she showed me how to do this myself at home. My left bone was higher than my right and that was causing me to strain my muscles to hold myself. They explained its cause by relaxin hormone thats making me more loose and flexible. She also did a lot of massage to help the muscles that I've been straining to walk.

I feel empowered and amazing, I can't believe all the pain is gone. The physical therapist spent 2 hours with me, and did an amazing job. I felt so much relief. The vendor has offices in the city and in Brooklyn, pst me if you want info.

This is better than a prenatal massage! They signed a contract for me that says my husband must give me massages! I them for it. I think I"m going to frame it.

Re: Pregnancy Pain

Glad you're feeling better!

Re: Pregnancy Pain

I really hate that doctors act like they don't believe me when I try to explain the kind of pain I was feeling.

I'm just so relieve I figured it out that I needed something other than a doctor.

I just came back from consult with a new doctor and while I liked her very much, she looked at me as if I was an alien when I was describing the pain and told me not to be a hypochondriac.

I don't care, I'm glad I got relief, but it is frustrating.

Re: Pregnancy Pain

My DR looks at me like I am insane as well! I am 27 weeks, and sometimes I want to cry when I have to walk, especially in the mornings.

I'll have to look for a phys therapist.

Do you mind sharing some of the "at home" techniques that they taught you?

I am glad that you found some relief!!

Re: Pregnancy Pain

so glad to hear this....I KNOW the pain your in.. I cry so many times from it...and Its great to hear you are getting relief. I would go in a heartbeat if my insurance covered it...But its great you have something to help you, especially since you have a while to go.

Re: Pregnancy Pain

I found images in a book to explain the main things she did for me, and what she told me I could do safely by myself.

So I'll explain it in order of what she did in the 2 hour session (she was very generous on time with me, because I was so nervous about having this kind of pain at only 12 weeks)

I copied a page and half from preview of the book
here Its called "Orthopaedic Examination, and Intervention by Mark Dutton"

1. she did various tests on me to test my stability, walking, etc.

2. she helped me use my muscles to align my pelvis...
If you look at the book its called "Muscle Energy Techniques to restore Pubic Smphyseal Joint Dysfunction" She did both sides, I felt my bones actually shift when she did it in my left side and felt immediate relief. It seemed way to complicated to try by myself or even with DH's help.

3. She then showed me easy exercise I can do to maintain this at home. Its called "modified shotgun"
Its a two part exercise.

4. She then explained to me how the ab muscles separate during pregnancy and she showed me how I could feel the separation. I was already seperating a lot at belly button.

5. She showed me how to do "belly pumps" to help bring my muscles close together. When muscles are apart they are weak and your back has to work harder to hold you, making your back sore.
So hold cross your arms over your belly like your "holding your baby". Hands should be on sides. Hold your sides tight, breath a deep breath and then as you breath in, pull in and hold in your stomach. As you get comfortable with the pose, do this with 5 pumps. Relax and repeat.

6. Lastly she did a deep tissue massage on my inner thighs as these muscles where the most strained holding me up and I had a lot of knots in the muscles there. This was painful, I hate deep tissue massage! She resorted to finish "un-knotting" me with a cold laser (only on inner thighs), wow, that was nice!

I felt incredible afterwards.

I hope you're careful with all exercises, and I really hope you find a good physical therapist that understands pregnancy related pain to help you find the exercises that would work for you.

I really hope this helps some of you out there suffering. Your OBs know a lot of about the baby growing in you, but If you feel they have no clue about your bones and muscles and nerves, or any sympathy or understanding about the kind of pain your having, your not alone. I went through 3 OBs and they all brushed me off. OB#1 said it was normal and to take tylenol for the pain, after I told her I feel like I can't walk. OB#2 misdiagnosed me with UTI and put me on antibiotics and bladder anti-inflammatory meds. OB#3 said OB#2 was a complete idiot to put me on antibiotics. After OB#3 called me a hypochondriac, told me to do yoga and deep breathing for "the anxiety and so called pain" ... so it was offensive but it was close enough to making me go to a physical therapist so she was the best of the 3.

The key thing though, none of them would refuse to write me a prescription or referral to see a physical therapist. It doesn't hurt their ego or their pocketbooks. So I wouldn't be afraid to ask, you could get insurance to pay for it this way.

Good luck girls, don't suffer in pain unnecessarily. Also be careful who you choose for Physical Therapy if your not comfortable with them, find someone else!

Re: Pregnancy Pain

Posted by dm24angel

so glad to hear this....I KNOW the pain your in.. I cry so many times from it...and Its great to hear you are getting relief. I would go in a heartbeat if my insurance covered it...But its great you have something to help you, especially since you have a while to go.

Re: Pregnancy Pain

Thanks so much for sharing!

Re: Pregnancy Pain

so glad that helped. I have been experiencing excruciating pain this time around that I did not have with DD and all the Drs say is to take tylenol and tell them if it gets worse. ha!