"Cyclists' Syndrome" (medical) aka Pudendal Nerve Entrapment

I know this isn't rec.bicycles.medical... but

Is anyone familiar with Pudendal Nerve Entrapment?

http://pudendal.info/

This isn't the usual bicycle seat / numbness discussion --
it involves pain when NOT cycling, pretty much constantay,
and often in more than one area, moving around.

Eeeerrrk. So much for distance cycling being a HEALTHY
sport.

I would be happy to hear any stories -- people that had to
quit cycling, or who could return to cycling after
treatment, or who know a good doctor preferably in the New
York area.

- Charles

northernspy1@aol.com

======================
http://pudendal.info/

The most common diagnosis, once other things have been ruled
out, is Pudendal Nerve Entrapment (PNE). In a nutshell:

PNE is similar to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which is also a
form of nerve entrapment. However PNE, due to its location,
is much harder to treat.

PNE is a nerve condition causing pain for no apparent reason
in the area served by the pudendal nerve. No one pain
pattern dominates. Pain can be in just one area, several, or
all. It can be on one side, two sides, or the middle.

PNE can occur suddenly or develop over time without one
realizing it. It can be caused by frequent prolonged
sitting, cycling, repetitive movement , exercising with the
legs or for no appearent reason. Frequently "cyclist's
syndrome" turns out to be PNE.

PNE is often misdiagnosed as prostatodynia, nonbacterial
prostatitis, idiopathic vulvodynia (idiopathic means
unknown cause), idiopathic orchialgia, idiopathic
proctalgia, idiopathic penile pain, coccydynia, levator ani
syndrome, and for those with pain at the ischial
tuberosities, as ischial bursitis. About two thirds of PNE
patients are women.

Good news. PNE can be treated through physical therapy,
injection of steroids, and nerve decompression surgery.
However, the earlier the treatment the better.

tilyou1@aol.comrabbit (Tilyou1) writes:

> I know this isn't rec.bicycles.medical... but
>
> Is anyone familiar with Pudendal Nerve Entrapment?

Fortunately, no.

> http://pudendal.info/
>
> This isn't the usual bicycle seat / numbness discussion --
> it involves pain when NOT cycling, pretty much constantay,
> and often in more than one area, moving around.
>
> Eeeerrrk. So much for distance cycling being a
> HEALTHY sport.

It is. Generally speaking. Heck, I did 200, 300, 400 and 600
km rides last summer with no numbness and no pain other that
just minor saddle discomfort.

> I would be happy to hear any stories -- people that had to
> quit cycling, or who could return to cycling after
> treatment, or who know a good doctor preferably in the New
> York area.

To be honest, this reads like the same sort of hysteria that
we had over cycling-related impotence, which turned out to
be largely the result of bad science and not a real problem.
Some people have these problems, but they are not in fact
common. These sorts of articles look to me to be designed to
promote the sales of saddle and certain medical services,
first and foremost.

My first recommendation is to (1) get a good bike fitting by
someone who knows what they are doing and (2) get a saddle
that suits you better. Hopefully one or either of those will
eliminate your problem in this regard. Pain sucks!!!!!
(Especially there). Try some time off rather than cortisone
injections, surgery, etc. Try NSAIDs and such, too- in
short, go the conservative route first. Good luck!

>> http://pudendal.info/
>>
>> This isn't the usual bicycle seat / numbness discussion
>> -- it involves pain when NOT cycling, pretty much
>> constantay, and often in more than one area, moving
>> around.

>My first recommendation is to (1) get a good bike fitting
>by someone who knows what they are doing and (2) get a
>saddle that suits you better.

Jeeze, reading is not your strong point, is it?

I never get numb riding, I own 6 bikes and mostly ride the 4
that fit great, and I am not selling a seat. I am not
connected to the website http://pudendal.info/ This isn't
about symptoms WHILE or after riding, it's stuff people with
the syndrome experience hourly day-after-day even when they
don't ride for weeks.

Then it gets worse.

Because it's sometimes called "Cyclists' Syndrome" I had the
crazy idea someone here might known about it. I would be
happy to hear someone call the website a buncha quacks, if
they have a reason for doing that, but the symptoms are real
even if I can't back the connection to distance bicycling
with a study (tho' such studies may exist).

>Try some time off rather than cortisone injections,
>surgery, etc. Try NSAIDs and such, too- in short, go the
>conservative route first. Good luck!

Avoiding surgery is always a good thing if you can manage
it, and I am reluctantly avoiding cycling for now...
(NSAIDs) muscle relaxants did not work.

But injections may not be a bad idea if, as the Cycling
Syndrome people seem to think, it may help avoid permanent
injury by relieving pressure on one very pissed off nerve.

- Charles

Tilyou1 wrote:

> .. I would be happy to hear any stories -- people that had
> to quit cycling, or who could return to cycling after
> treatment...

...or, Heaven Forbid, ended up riding a recumbent
bicycle.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

Tilyou1 wrote:
>>> http://pudendal.info/
>>>
>>> This isn't the usual bicycle seat / numbness discussion
>>> -- it involves pain when NOT cycling, pretty much
>>> constantay, and often in more than one area, moving
>>> around.
>
>> My first recommendation is to (1) get a good bike fitting
>> by someone who knows what they are doing and (2) get a
>> saddle that suits you better.
>
> Jeeze, reading is not your strong point, is it?

Umm, writing sure isn't yours!

> I never get numb riding, I own 6 bikes and mostly ride the
> 4 that fit great, and I am not selling a seat.

And you say TIM can't read?!? (That was the name of the
person you quoted, by the way, although no one would
know that.)

I am not connected to the website
> http://pudendal.info/ This isn't about symptoms WHILE or
> after riding, it's stuff people with the syndrome
> experience hourly day-after-day even when they don't ride
> for weeks.
>
> Then it gets worse.
>
> Because it's sometimes called "Cyclists' Syndrome" I had
> the crazy idea someone here might known about it. I would
> be happy to hear someone call the website a buncha quacks,
> if they have a reason for doing that, but the symptoms are
> real even if I can't back the connection to distance
> bicycling with a study (tho' such studies may exist).
>
>> Try some time off rather than cortisone injections,
>> surgery, etc. Try NSAIDs and such, too- in short, go the
>> conservative route first. Good luck!
>
> Avoiding surgery is always a good thing if you can manage
> it, and I am reluctantly avoiding cycling for now...
> (NSAIDs) muscle relaxants did not work.
>
> But injections may not be a bad idea if, as the Cycling
> Syndrome people seem to think, it may help avoid permanent
> injury by relieving pressure on one very pissed off nerve.

So you ARE having problems??? I'm confused...

Bill "would you be OK if you never read about the
condition?" S.