Sarah was 34 weeks pregnant when she came to see me in my Dublin clinic. She was looking for homeopathy for symphysis pubis dysfunction, also known as pelvic girdle pain. Her discomfort was obvious. Cautiously taking every step, she nearly cried out stepping over the door threshold. In her own words, she almost felt her pelvis tearing apart. The pain was excruciating, constant,
“I’m pretty much house bound, I’m hurting all the time! This horrible pain is always there, I can barely lift my leg to walk, it’s even keeping me up at night constantly throbbing, I can’t turn over in bed and climbing the stairs in my house is a torture!”
Sarah saw her GP and was told to take it easy and bear with it as there is nothing much she can do. “Just wait until the baby is born and you’ll be back to normal soon. Try one of those support belts and maybe try sleeping with a pillow between your knees”, she was told. Sarah was desperate. The prospect of enduring another 6 weeks of this agony was too much. She decided to give homeopathy a try. Her close friend who was delighted with the progress we’ve made treating her thyroid condition referred Sarah to me.
Natural remedies for pelvic girdle pain
Pelvic girdle pain, also known as symphysis pubis dysfunction or SPD, is a common complaint in pregnancy. It develops because of a special hormone called relaxin. Relaxin is released to help loosen the pelvic ligaments to accommodate the growing uterus and to allow for an easier passage of the baby through the birth canal.
As Sarah’s GP had suggested, a pregnancy support belt and sleeping with a pillow between the legs may provide some pelvic girdle pain relief. Floating on your back in a swimming pool will take the pressure off the pelvic bones. Prenatal yoga helps with stretching the muscles of the lower back and hips. It is generally recommended to remain active in a mild and gentle way because prolonged immobility may make the pain worse. Having said that, it is wise to avoid any activity that aggravates the pain, such as lifting something heavy. Any movements that require twisting at the hips and lower back or sudden jolts are a bad idea. Any strenuous exercise and long walks should be avoided. Finally, sitting in a low chair puts a strain on the pelvis when getting up.
Homeopathy for pelvic girdle pain or symphysis pubis dysfunction
I often resort to continuous support with remedies in low potency known as tissue salts throughout pregnancy to replace depleted minerals. One of those remedies is called Calc-fluor. It is excellent at improving the elasticity of tissues, helping to prevent stretch marks, piles and varicose veins. It has a special affinity for ligaments and helps prevent overstretching of the round ligament that supports the uterus. A sign of an overstretched round ligament is that sharp pain that you feel when trying to get up too quickly or make another sudden movement. This remedy often helps prevent pelvic girdle pain, so it is important to take it if you have a history of symphysis pubis dysfunction in previous pregnancies.
I also sometimes use a combination of remedies when my pregnant patients suffer from lower back and hip pain, as well as pelvic girdle pain. Although not entirely classical, this approach can be very helpful:
- Kali carbonicum
- Aesculus
- Rhus-tox
In Sarah’s case, however, I used a single remedy Aesculus with great success. Within 5 days she felt 90% better, it was such a relief she was euphoric. She flew through the rest of her pregnancy and is now a loyal homeopathy fan. It’s her first port of call whenever her baby needs more than skin-to-skin, cuddles and TLC!
I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment, please feel free to contact me. I am a qualified professional offering expert homeopathic treatment in Dublin and Online. Family discounts available.
