How many people have found an osteopath helpful in pregnancy?

[memoo]

I am currently 20 weeks pregnant and having a nightmare with back,hip and groin pain.

Midwife has referred me to a pyhsio but this seems to be taking forever.

Have phoned to book an appointment with an osteopath but at £50 for inital appointment plus £38 for each subsequent appointment, it is an expensive option.

Want to make sure that I am doing the right thing before I raid my savings!!!

So just wondered if amny people had found visiting an osteopath helpful?

Watching with interest as in the same boat, memoo. I have seen a physio for one appointment but other than getting a belt to wear around my pelvis it hasn't helped much. The belt helps when I'm wearing it but isn't improving it when I'm not so I'm still in pain in bed at night. I got advice on posture and movement but it was all common sense really. I have heard osteopaths are more helpful than physios though so will wait alongside you for others experiences!

Hi beanstalk, what kind of exercises did the physio give you? was it just bend at the knees when lofting stuff etc?

I'm hoping to get a belt too but it would be nice if we could get this sorted before we give birth

I have used an osteopath and a physio for SPD - I did find the osteopathy helpful, however, what has transformed my pain is acupuncture! I didn't try it in my last pg, but have done with this one, and at the moment I'm almost pain free. It has been a revelation!

I'm only 16 wks pg at the moment (been suffering since 7 weeks) so don't know how long the pain relief will last, but it's working at the moment .

Mainly don't lift and twist, which I figured out already! Specifically, sleep with pillows between your knees and ankles to keep your legs apart and parallel in bed, getting in and out of car keep feet together so you pivot on your bum in the seat, one foot in front of the other when hoovering, feet apart when ironing, stuff like that which I suppose helps you think about how you move in everyday life. Exercises were cat stretches (on all fours, arch your back then flatten it), pelvic tilts and inner thigh exercises (fist between your knees, squeeze thighs together and hold for 5, and then hands on outside of knees, push knees out against hands). It is useful but all feels a bit gentle for the amount of pain I can be in at certain times of the day.

The groin pain is horrendous isn't it? I feel as though I've been kicked on the pubic bone very very hard. I didn't get this with my first pregnancy so it's a bit of a shock. The belt does help but it doesn't stay in place in bed so this is when I am suffering the most.

Hope you get help soon.

Likewise, I am 23 weeks, I am off to my physio appointment this afternoon, I will pass on any other info that I get, though I am not expecting anything more than what has been said on here already.

TBH the main reason I am going is that I have been told by another Mum locally that the NHS sometimes refers to an osteopath if the physio doesn't work.

thanks guys,

Beanstalk, I'm going to try the cat stretches, have already being putting a pillow betweeen my knees in bed as its the only way I can get half comfortable.

The groin pain is definately the worse thing! Trying to explain to my midwife that I feel like I've been kick in the fanjo in polite terms was difficult

This is my 3rd pregnancy and I too have never had it before.

Off to crawl round on the floor like a cat, I'm sure the dog will be amused!

a midwife and my acupuncturist both suggested a chiropractor (is that similar to an osteopath?) to help with my spd and hip pain. I have also seen an obs physio, who gave me belts and exercises and said it would probably be worse if i hadnt already been having acupuncture. it too is expensive but it has given relief, particularly at night it seems. at one point, i was getting less than an hour's sleep at a time - not good!
I am going to try the chiropractor after we next get paid!!

I'm seeing a chiropractor who also dabbles in osteopathy so he's not as rough as a normal chiropractor. The physio at the hospital was rubbish - just gave me lots of exercises to do.

I saw a chiropractor (which is basically the same thing I think) for most of last year and I agree that it seems like a lot of money but I promise you it's worth it. (see it as a real treat like having hair or nails done)

I shifted my coccyx out when I had my DD who's now 5 so struggled on for 3 1/2, 4 years with horrendous nagging pain.

I haven't needed to see him since i've been pregnant cause goddam he's that good he fixed me, hehe, but will def be going back post birth to get an MOT.

The thing you don't expect (and I am in no way a hippy ) is the way it stabilises your moods and how uplifting an experience it can be. I would go once a month and really really look forward to my visits.

Depends on what you beleive in I guess but I carry a stack of his cards around with me and have reccommended my Chiro to just about anyone thats ever mentioned back/hip/neck pain and depression/mood swings. I was also suffering from the most awful depression when I started my treatment and it was a godsend to have someone who truly understands how our bodies are put together and how pain can affect the mind.

I have family members who have gone through Physio on the NHS and the general feeling is that its pretty shite, next to useless and just takes forever. I'd def say give an oesteopath a go, you will know the day after your first visit if it was worth it, it really is that good.

xxxx

I have been to an osteopath before for a different back problem and you are so right, they are wonderful with actual aches and pains, but my mood was always better for days afterwards.

Osteo has always helped me - they will manipulate you to release pressure, help you regain a decent posture and give you deep tissue massage if you need it. The most important thing is to nip it in the bud early on - if you just live with the pain, you end up making it worse, because your other muscles compensate for the ones that aren't doing their job properly. I have left it too long in this pregnancy (because I was worried about the expense) and managed to put a disc out by throwing up the other day. I have spent the last 4 days with spasming back/buttock/leg muscles, have been left with sciatica and barely able to stand let alone walk (am 33 weeks), all on poxy paracetamol. Hey it's good breathing practice for labour pain, but it's not much fun. So (long post, sorry) my advice is GO - before it gets worse!
Like other posters, I have also found physio a waste of time.

Memoo - I saw an osteo in my last pg. Twas fab, felt odd during the session, couple of clicky things happened but pain went straight afterwards - was lower back pain. Haven't neede to go this time round yet - even though I'm more hefty and waddling about at 35 weeks.

Hope you enjoy it

I like the clicking

Right, I am back from my physio appointment

I have a huge tubigrip bandage round me, apparently this will help stabilise the joint. So far it is just making me ache more. I asked about other things I could do eg. exercises, osteopath etc and she said no

She has left me an open appointment to go back if it gets 'a lot worse' and they will give me crutches

Absolutely useless, I am going to contact the osteopath recommended by a friend.

Sorry it's a more helpful/positive report.

Another vote for osteo here, I used one through my last pregnancy and mine completely cured my SPD (crawled in and virtually skipped out!!)
You could then use the osteo for the baby after the birth

Sorry you had a bad experience bratnav.

I have been convinved though that osteo is the way to go so have booked an appointment for friday.

I'm really looking forward to it as getting relief from this constant pain is worth all the money in the world.

Thanks for all the advice everyone xx

So pleased to hear that loujay. I had horrid SPD throughout my pg last time and struggled on with a tubigrip and belt.

This time my very first pg symptom (before testing) was pelvis pain. I've seen an osteopath for upper back trouble before and went straight to him, but he wouldn't look at me until I'm 13/14 weeks. I'm making an appointment for next week as it's really starting to kick in now.

I'm looking at it this way - we get this health in pregnancy grant now, and I'm earmarking it all for the osteopath! ANY way I can avoid the pain I was in last time and for 18 months post-birth is money well-spent. It's just so rotten to feel unnecessarily disabled

Let me know how you get on memoo, I may well follow your example! Good luck.

Hey Memoo, I've found you

I've been failing trying to get hold of you here

Hope you're well, sorry to hear that you're in pain

OK - it appears I'm still failing to make contact Memoo

I used a chiropractor from 6.5 months pregnant with DD2 for SPD. Was absolutely worth it - went from being in a lot of pain and not being able to walk comfortably to being almost "cured". Would definitely do it again.

I had spd in my last pregnancy and ended up in a wheelchair. Went to see a Osteo in this pregnancy at 6 weeks as the pain started again and she is now my miracle cure as I am now 32 weeks and I don't even need a brace and still walking 3 miles a day. I swear by them. I saw a physio for my last preg and for 9 months after but they didn't actually do anything, just gave me crutches and told me to hire a wheelchair.
Round here they charge £42 for first apointment and £38 for each subsequent. I have seen her approx every 2 months to keep on top of it. (Incidentally it cost me £20 a month to hire a wheelchair so I would rather spend the money on this.)
HTH

Good to hear it's worked for you this time queenfee - I'm off to see mine on Monday and can't wait

Good luck HobNob x

Proper lovely to hear such great stories. People in RL look at me like i'm gone out when I say I see a chiropractor