Ouch!! Pubic Symphysis – Yes, I Used the Word Pubic

Did you open this post just because you wanted to see why I felt it necessary to use the word “pubic” twice in my title? Have you ever heard of this painful and evil condition called Pubic Symphysis? Me either and let me tell you I wish that I never had.

A few weeks ago, I started have this sharp pain whenever I tried to put on pants, step into the shower, get into the car or most often when I tried to get out of bed. It was a most unusual pain and honestly not one that I had ever felt. The pain doesn’t linger around but it hurts enough to leave a mental scar. 

I tried describing the pain to my doctor and she said that it just normal “pregnancy discomfort.” She just encouraged me to try not to do things that would cause me to have the pain. Then I was sharing with my friend at work who had some serious “pelvic” pain during her pregnancy and that is when she told me about Pubic Symphysis. 

Apparently, its a pregnant women’s secret but if you Google the term “pubic pregnancy pain,” sure enough, this very common [yet never heard of] disorder pops up. So what is it? According to the very official Baby Center, Pubic Symphysis is when the hormone relaxin causes the pelvic bones to loosen.

That’s it. Super simple. Yet I had never heard of it and here I am all suffering in pain and there is an actual name for this evil condition. For some reason, just knowing that I wasn’t losing my mind has helped a bit but it would be better if the “condition” had some sort of treatment. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem that is the case.

Typical treatments like pregnancy safe pain medications, ice, heat, etc were the suggestions that were given to me by the doctor were also echoed in my online research. I am still just floored that I had never heard about this. Is it because no one wants to talk about their pubic bones?

There has to be more women that experience the strangely discomforting condition during their pregnancy. So, here I am, baring it all for you. Picking a cause and raising awareness. I am claiming the color marigold yellow and creating a ribbon! Let’s raise awareness for Pubic Symphysis! Let no other pregnant woman roll over in pain and not know why! 

Have you heard of this? Did you experience it? Know anyone who has?