Pregnant and in pain? Pain is common but it doesn’t have to be normal!

I have been seeing pregnant patients for 15 years now - my whole career. I love it. There is something about the amazing changes in the body and the promise of new life.

A lot of the women I see think pain is normal during pregnancy - it certainly is common. There are many changes that occur in the body, changes that are necessary to prepare the body for the birth of the baby. Sometimes these changes can make the little niggles and inefficiencies that you have lived with actually raise their head and become a problem. Knowing how these changes affect your body and how your body should be working are important for ensuring you have the best possible result during your pregnancy.

Common problems include back pain, rib pain, pubic pain, cramps, difficulty walking, pain turning in bed, trouble with stairs and the list goes on.

I have helped a lot of women over the last 15 years and obviously there are some that I haven't been able to help. However, the vast majority have had a significant improvement. There was one patient that I remember who started her pregnancy with a significant back problem. She had a LOT of pain. It stopped her from walking, working and sleeping. I felt helpless because no matter what I did, I could only give her temporary relief (I like to get rid of pain permanently!). I told her of my concerns and frustration and apologised that she was still seeing me each week. She looked at me and told me that she kept coming back because she wanted to, because I was able to give her relief (hours to a few days) where no one else had before or during her pregnancy. I was encouraged by that and we made significant headway into her problems and by a few weeks post-partum, she was pain free - better than before she got pregnant. She did the exercises we taught her and changed what we asked her to change and suddenly it all came together.

Most of my patients present with some kind of pain in the pelvis or back/ribs. Most of them believed that this was a normal part of pregnancy and that nothing can be done about it. Most of them now call me as soon as they get pain because they know that pain is common but it doesn't have to be "normal".

If you have or have had pregnancy pain or have found treatments that have worked for you, I would love to hear your story. Please post it in the comments below. Thanks!