pelvicpartnership.org.uk/pgp-is-treatable-with-manual-therapy/
PGP is treatable
The good news is that because PGP is a mechanical joint problem not a hormonal problem, it can usually be treated effectively by 'hands-on' manual therapy from a physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor experienced in treating PGP. PGP is treatable at any stage of pregnancy or postnatally as soon as you feel able to visit a manual therapist.
There are various routes to find this type of treatment:
You can ask your GP or midwife to be referred to an experienced manual therapist who has undertaken extra training to learn to treat PGP. This may be an outpatient or musculoskeletal physiotherapist, or a women’s health physiotherapist at your local hospital or health centre. You need to find a therapist with experience in treating PGP with manual or ‘hands-on’ techniques. It is also important not to give up if the first physiotherapist you see does not help you. It can often take persistence to find someone who knows how to treat PGP effectively. To assist you with this, you could refer your GP, midwife and physiotherapist to the national guidelines for PGP and the Pelvic Partnership ‘Stickmum’ leaflet is also useful to provide a summary of information about PGP.
You may find a private practitioner in your area listed on our 'Recommended practitioners' list. Practitioners on this list have been recommended by at least two separate women with PGP who have been successfully treated.
You can try your local sports injury clinic where you can ask to speak to a sports physiotherapist who specialises in pelvic joint problems to discuss whether they have relevant experience. They do not have to have specific experience of treating pregnant women. It is most important that they are good at treating the pelvic joints and getting their patients back to playing sport and doing all the normal activities of daily life, rather than just coping with pain and avoiding normal activities. To find a manual or sports physiotherapist in your area visit the Physio First website.
You can contact your local osteopath or chiropractor – again, check that they have experience in treating pelvic joint problems. You may find these websites helpful: General Osteopathic Council, British Chiropractic Association and McTimoney Chiropractic Association.
Unfortunately, many NHS and private manual therapists do not know how to effectively treat PGP using manual therapy techniques. If your PGP does not improve after each treatment, then it is important to try someone else, as you may not be receiving the best manual therapy available.
It is rarely too late!
If you are told that it is too early or too late in your pregnancy to do anything, or that treatment is not effective during pregnancy and you have to wait until you have had the baby, or that you are too acute to treat, or that your symptoms are too mild to worry about, it is worth getting another opinion. Ask to be referred on to someone who has experience of treating PGP in pregnancy, or look for private treatment if this is an option for you.
Traditionally, it was thought that nothing could be done in pregnancy, but it is now known that for most women PGP is a treatable condition, and the women who contact us confirm this regularly.
I don't have positive experience of physio in mid Cornwall . I was told they couldn't do manual manipulation needed to help me buy could give me exercises and crutches when necessary. This was both in second pregnancy and third pregnancy several years apart. Basically 8 years on they still don't have the skill set. This impacts on birthing interventions due to reduced mobility.
From a local group I learnt that another woman was seeing a chiropractor under "any qualified provider " scheme. I spoke to my GP who referred me to one with lower back pain. This is what needed the manual therapy to free up the whole pelvis area.
Bloody amazing results. 7 weeks ago prior to treatment I could barely move. In the end I was fully mobile and actually enjoying pregnancy again. Bliss! Home birthed too.
Look up AQP guidelines and protocol.
When speaking to GP make sure you fit it. It is worthwhile speaking to providers to gauge their level of experience in dealing with your condition prior to speaking to GP so you can choose preferred provider.
Apparently you can also take paperwork yourself to provider which shortens wait.