Pelvic Pain & SPD During Pregnancy in Pasadena, CA
Walking hurts. Getting out of bed hurts. Rolling over at night sends a sharp pain through your pelvis that takes your breath away. If this is your reality right now, you may be dealing with symphysis pubis dysfunction — commonly called SPD — or general pelvic girdle pain.
You're not being dramatic. This pain is real, it's disruptive, and it's more common than most people realize.
At Innate Family Chiropractic, Dr. Chris and Dr. Adana work with pregnant women experiencing pelvic pain and SPD every week. Through gentle, specific chiropractic care, we help restore balance to your pelvis so you can move through your pregnancy with less pain and more confidence.
What Is Pelvic Pain and SPD?
The pubic symphysis is the joint at the front of your pelvis where the two pelvic bones meet. During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin loosens the ligaments around this joint to prepare your body for delivery. In some women, this loosening goes too far — or the pelvis becomes misaligned — creating instability and pain at the symphysis.
Symphysis pubis dysfunction is the term for when this joint becomes excessively mobile, inflamed, or misaligned, causing significant discomfort. Pelvic girdle pain is a broader term that can include pain at the front, back, or sides of the pelvis.
Signs and Symptoms
SPD and pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy may present as a sharp or grinding pain at the front of the pelvis over the pubic bone, difficulty walking with a waddling or uneven gait, pain when climbing stairs putting on pants or getting in and out of a car, a clicking or popping sensation in the pelvic area, pain that worsens with one-legged activities like standing on one foot, and discomfort when rolling over in bed.
Symptoms often begin in the second or third trimester and may progressively worsen without intervention.
How Chiropractic Helps
SPD and pelvic girdle pain are fundamentally about alignment and stability. When the sacrum is misaligned, the entire pelvic ring is affected — including the symphysis pubis. Muscles and ligaments compensate unevenly, creating the instability and inflammation that produce pain.
Dr. Chris and Dr. Adana use gentle pelvic adjustments and the Webster Technique to restore proper sacral and pelvic alignment. By rebalancing the pelvis as a whole, we reduce the strain on the symphysis and the surrounding soft tissue.
This approach is different from simply managing the pain. We're addressing why the joint became unstable in the first place — and giving your body the structural support it needs to carry your pregnancy more comfortably.
Our Approach to Relief
After a thorough consultation and assessment, we'll create a care plan tailored to your specific pain patterns and pelvic presentation. Adjustments are gentle, use pregnancy-appropriate positioning, and are designed to provide progressive relief.
Many women with SPD respond well to consistent care — often seeing noticeable improvement within the first few sessions. As your pelvis stabilizes, daily activities become less painful and more manageable.
We may also recommend supportive strategies like pelvic support belts, specific movement modifications, and sleeping position adjustments to complement your in-office care
Frequently Asked Questions
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The primary cause is the hormone relaxin, which loosens pelvic ligaments to prepare for birth. Combined with the added weight of pregnancy and potential pelvic misalignment, this can lead to joint instability and pain.
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Yes. Chiropractic care addresses the alignment of the sacrum and pelvis, which directly influences the stability of the pubic symphysis. Gentle, specific adjustments can significantly reduce SPD symptoms.
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SPD occurs when the pubic symphysis joint at the front of the pelvis becomes excessively mobile, misaligned, or inflamed during pregnancy. It produces sharp pain at the pubic bone that worsens with movement and weight-bearing activities.
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As soon as you start experiencing symptoms. The sooner we can assess your pelvic alignment and begin care, the more effectively we can manage the pain and prevent it from worsening. You can also explore our broader prenatal chiropractic services →