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Suggest Treatment For Pain In Pelvic Joints During Pregnancy
Question: hello doctor....my wife is 8 months pregnant. her age is 31, all her reports r normal but now days she is having some pain in her pelvic joint specially when she walks, sleeps, changes sites in sleep or get out from bed. sometimes a sharp pain goes into her left leg from pelvic joint. she can not sleep confortably. I googled abt it n found one desorder called SPD (symphysis pubic dysfunction). I found that all her symptom are same....is she really facing this problem?....what precaution she should take?....what is the treatment for it?
Brief Answer:
EXPLAINED IN DETAIL
Detailed Answer:
Hello Mr. XXXXXXX
Thank you for trusting us again with your health related concern.
As such, pregnancy is associated with rise in levels of certain hormones which relax all the joints of the body.
This is intended by Nature because when the joints loosen up, particularly of the pelvis, the birth of the baby becomes easier.
In certain cases, this tendency becomes exaggerated, resulting in excessive laxity of the joints.
Actually the symptoms are quite specific for SPD, but exact diagnosis is possible only after delivery.
This is when proper pelvic MRI and testing can be done to diagnose SPD.
In most women, SPD disappears after pregnancy, as the hormones disappear, only in about 5 % of women, they persist.
Right now, there can only be a presumptive diagnosis, based on the pain in the pelvic area .
Actually symptoms overlap, because in the third trimester, even normally, women experience pelvic pain and joint pain as the pelvis relaxes in preparation for delivery.
So whether it is SPD or not, it does not matter much in terms of management.
THe mainstay is postural modification.
She should not bend, lift heavy weights or stand for prolonged periods of time.
Avoid stress.
If pain is very severe, she can take a painkiller, and a hot water bottle to bed.
In severe cases, pelvic support devices and elbow crutches are available to take the weight off the pelvis, but I do not think this applies in her case.
At times, vitamin and calcium deficiency aggravates the situation, it is best to take a multivitamin supplement ( capsule A to Z daily once ) , calcium and vitamin D ( Gemcal - D3 once daily ).
Drink lots of water.
Keep sitting in the daytime or resting a lot .
Some kind of discomfort is to be expected as term nears, and pelvic exercises ( taught by a qualified physiotherapist ) , yoga and meditation will help her to relax and bear these situations in a better manner.
After delivery , it this still persists ( less likely , more than 95 % chance that it will subside on its own ), proper testing and accordingly management can be done.
Regarding delivery, if her problem worsens, special precautions would be required in terms of position during labour and anesthesia, which you should discuss with your doctor and with me if the need arises at that time.
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
I hope this answer helped you to some extent.
Take care.
EXPLAINED IN DETAIL
Detailed Answer:
Hello Mr. XXXXXXX
Thank you for trusting us again with your health related concern.
As such, pregnancy is associated with rise in levels of certain hormones which relax all the joints of the body.
This is intended by Nature because when the joints loosen up, particularly of the pelvis, the birth of the baby becomes easier.
In certain cases, this tendency becomes exaggerated, resulting in excessive laxity of the joints.
Actually the symptoms are quite specific for SPD, but exact diagnosis is possible only after delivery.
This is when proper pelvic MRI and testing can be done to diagnose SPD.
In most women, SPD disappears after pregnancy, as the hormones disappear, only in about 5 % of women, they persist.
Right now, there can only be a presumptive diagnosis, based on the pain in the pelvic area .
Actually symptoms overlap, because in the third trimester, even normally, women experience pelvic pain and joint pain as the pelvis relaxes in preparation for delivery.
So whether it is SPD or not, it does not matter much in terms of management.
THe mainstay is postural modification.
She should not bend, lift heavy weights or stand for prolonged periods of time.
Avoid stress.
If pain is very severe, she can take a painkiller, and a hot water bottle to bed.
In severe cases, pelvic support devices and elbow crutches are available to take the weight off the pelvis, but I do not think this applies in her case.
At times, vitamin and calcium deficiency aggravates the situation, it is best to take a multivitamin supplement ( capsule A to Z daily once ) , calcium and vitamin D ( Gemcal - D3 once daily ).
Drink lots of water.
Keep sitting in the daytime or resting a lot .
Some kind of discomfort is to be expected as term nears, and pelvic exercises ( taught by a qualified physiotherapist ) , yoga and meditation will help her to relax and bear these situations in a better manner.
After delivery , it this still persists ( less likely , more than 95 % chance that it will subside on its own ), proper testing and accordingly management can be done.
Regarding delivery, if her problem worsens, special precautions would be required in terms of position during labour and anesthesia, which you should discuss with your doctor and with me if the need arises at that time.
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
I hope this answer helped you to some extent.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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