They would be so very wrong, mine developed with my first sons pregnancy in 2010/2011.
When I wrote about my condition back in 2012 it would be fair to say I had no real idea of just how much this debilitating condition would impact on me both emotionally, mentally and of course physically in the long-term but what has also been increasingly hard to deal with is the fact that so many people don’t understand the condition at all or presume it’s just for pregnant people.
My condition has not improved since my initial post (If you didn’t read my initial post about living with Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction you can’t read that HERE) I am still in agony on a daily basis and I would love nothing more than a full nights sleep without waking in pain or pins and needles, especially since Jacob is sleeping through the night these days.
I produced a post not long ago on things you can do to help stop putting strain on your pelvis that when you have SPD can be agony but even then the pain can be unbearable so I live by the list whenever I can but it’s not always possible with a 5-year-old and 7 month old at home.
After 5 years of suffering you would have thought I would be use to it but every once in a while it becomes even more painful. I have not worked out if its hormone related or if its something I am doing that exacerbates it but when it’s at its worst I can be found sobbing in a corner.
Although I developed my acute SPD through pregnancy Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (Pelvic Girdle Pain ) is not just for the Pregnant and can be brought on through non pregnancy related causes.
After spending years researching this condition it has become clear that his condition can be developed by men and women through an injury to the pelvis.
Obviously for pregnant ladies the condition stems from a hormones released while pregnant that loosens the ligaments (effectively to allow baby’s head to pass through later down the line) however for me my ligaments and cartilage were so damaged that there is no chance they will now go back to how they were before.
Non Pregnancy
For me now being a non pregnant sufferer I still get frustrated with the misunderstanding around the condition and the support differences there are around for those that are pregnant compared to those that aren’t.
Even though I still suffer and will continue to suffer I get no actual support from my GP or hospital consultant, yet if I was pregnant there are lots more services in my area on offer such as water based pool activities and even physio.
If I could wave a magic wand I would love obviously to feel better and not suffer from this condition but I would love more people to understand that for some of us we don’t just suffer for a few months while pregnant we have a whole lifetime of pain and struggles to look forward too.
SPD really isn’t just for the pregnant.