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

Tilyou1

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.
Frequently there are also urinary, rectal, or sexual problems.

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.

Tim McNamara

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!

Tilyou1

>> 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

Tom Sherman

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)