Pain after cesarean

Today, women increasingly resort to medical help when it is time to give birth - they have a cesarean section in order to avoid labor pains. After all, legends are made about labor pains! But young mothers do not think about the pitfalls and pains that await them after a cesarean section.

What is a cesarean section? It is a birth performed in an unnatural way, when the baby is removed from the mother's uterus through an incision in the abdominal cavity.

Planned cesarean section is prescribed by both doctors and chosen by the women in labor. In such cases, the incision in the uterus is horizontal. Indications for cesarean section are:

• small pelvic size, which prevents the free passage of the baby during natural childbirth;
• incorrect positioning of the placenta, which blocks the exit of the baby;
• various growths and formations in the uterine area;
• possible rupture of the uterus, caused, for example, by the divergence of a scar left during a previous birth;
• diseases associated with various body systems and organs, such as retinal detachment or cardiovascular diseases - in this case, the diseases can pose a threat to the life of the expectant mother;
• various complications during pregnancy, which can also threaten the life of the mother;
• incorrect positioning of the fetus before birth;
• if the baby is not alone;
• the presence of viral or allergic diseases on the external genitalia, which pose a risk of infection to the newborn.

There is a concept of an emergency caesarean section, which is performed during natural childbirth when complications arise that threaten to negatively affect the health and life of both the mother and the child. In this case, doctors make a vertical incision. Indications for an emergency caesarean section are:

• minor labor activity, its suspension or even cessation;
• sudden detachment of the placenta, threatening the fetus with a fatal outcome during childbirth;
• excessive stretching of tissues, which may result in rupture of the skin or the uterus itself;
• insufficient oxygen supply to the child - hypoxia.

The first day or two after a cesarean section, the woman in labor is under 24-hour medical supervision. To contract the uterus and stop blood loss, as well as for external anesthesia, a bag of ice is placed on the cesarean incision. In addition to ice, other medications are also prescribed that not only relieve pain and contract the uterus, but also help restore the gastrointestinal tract. Antibiotics are also prescribed to prevent the development of diseases after surgery. Doctors still consider early breastfeeding to be an excellent means for a faster recovery and restoration of female organs, since this stimulates the contraction of internal female organs and promotes milk production.

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Why does pain occur after a cesarean section?

Undoubtedly, in the first few days, or even longer, the woman in labor will suffer from pain after a cesarean section. After all, this is an operation and it cannot pass without leaving a trace. Why does pain occur after a cesarean section? There are many reasons, but let's consider the most popular ones.

Abdominal pain after cesarean section

After a cesarean section, the wound is treated with special anesthetics, so the pain is not felt. When their effect ends, abdominal pain after a cesarean section occurs, associated with damage to body tissues, that is, the wound will begin to hurt. How severe the abdominal pain after a cesarean section you experience depends largely on your pain threshold, as well as on the number of approaches to the incision of body tissues. Usually, pain after a cesarean section caused by the sensation of the wound disappears in the first week, but some tingling in the suture area can last up to a month.

Also, abdominal pain after a cesarean section may appear due to a disruption in the intestines and accumulation of gases in the mother's abdomen. Usually, the pain from gas accumulation goes away when they are released. Also, abdominal pain may appear because adhesions have formed in the intestines - fused sections of the intestines, which provoke painful sensations.

Lower abdominal pain after cesarean section

Usually, lower abdominal pain after a cesarean section indicates that the body, even after surgery, functions as it is designed by nature (after natural childbirth, the uterus contracts for some time, causing nagging pain that resembles menstrual pain). Lower abdominal pain after a cesarean section can intensify when the mother breastfeeds, since the body produces a natural hormone that helps contract the internal female muscles.

If the pain in the lower abdomen after a cesarean section is prolonged or even constant, be sure to consult a doctor, as this may indicate a malfunction of the uterus, as well as its inflammation.

Severe pain after cesarean section

Usually, severe pain after a cesarean section in women in labor occurs after sudden movements, deep breathing, and even when walking in the first days after the operation. This is due to the loads placed on the damaged and not yet restored areas of the skin near the incision. It is worth saying that it is not advisable to feel sorry for yourself too much, so as not to prolong the rehabilitation period. However, you should not overdo it in activity either, since suture ruptures may occur, which is fraught with many negative consequences. If you can’t stand it, be sure to consult a doctor.

Back pain after cesarean section

During pregnancy, the load on a woman's spine increases significantly, which is why various pinched nerves, spasms, and pains can occur. Back pain after a cesarean section can be a consequence of pinched nerves. They can also appear as phantom pains, to which the mother's body gets used to during pregnancy.

Lower Back Pain After Cesarean Section

Sometimes women who have recently given birth experience repeated acute lower back pain after a cesarean section. Such troubles are more often observed in those who nevertheless tried to give birth naturally. Lower back pain after a cesarean section occurs due to muscle strain during pushing. Stretching inevitably occurs, since the fetus is in any case too large for the narrow birth canal through which it passes. Also, the straightness of the spine before pregnancy plays an important role - women with a curved spine and poor posture suffer from lower back pain after a cesarean section much more often.

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Pain when urinating after cesarean section

Pain when urinating after a cesarean section most often occurs due to the installation of a catheter. Discomfort is observed in women in labor who have had a catheter installed either incorrectly or of a larger size than required.

Also, pain when urinating after a cesarean section may indicate inflammation of the urinary tract. In this case, urine acquires a specific strong smell and becomes not very transparent. Inflammation can also be confirmed by an increase in body temperature and discomfort in the lumbar region.

Pain during sex after cesarean section

Many women after a long period of abstinence from sex during pregnancy after childbirth are in a hurry to resume their sex life. However, pain during sex after a cesarean section may occur. There are cases when the pain does not go away even after 3-4 months. In this case, it is better to consult a doctor who can advise you on what will be best for your body. However, in most cases, pain is present and if you feel the need, have sex. Over time, pain during sex after a cesarean section will go away. The main advice is not to overdo it and make slow, smooth and gentle movements so as not to injure the organs that have not yet returned to normal after the cesarean section.

Headaches after cesarean section

Most often, after using anesthetics of varying strength, women in labor experience headaches after a cesarean section. Usually, such discomfort quickly passes. However, if any medical error was made when administering an anesthetic, headaches after a cesarean section can last from several weeks to several months. However, the pain will still pass when the body is fully restored.

Leg pain after cesarean

Both during and after childbirth, most mothers experience pain in the lower extremities. Leg pain after a cesarean section indicates that the swelling has not yet passed or varicose veins are beginning. Varicose veins can be caused by the fact that during pregnancy, the amount of blood in a woman's body increases, and the vessels do not have time to deform and stretch in order to keep up with the blood. In this case, the valves of the vessels often do not cope with their work, which leads to some stagnation of blood in the lower extremities, which slows down the blood flow. In order to avoid such problems, experts recommend using special stockings against varicose veins, which promote the correct movement of blood throughout the body and prevent blood stagnation in the legs.

Vaginal pain after cesarean

Most often, vaginal pain after a cesarean section is observed in women who tried to give birth naturally. In this case, vaginal pain after a cesarean section indicates its stretching or a possible tear. The stretching and pain will go away on their own, however, to speed up the recovery process, it is recommended to perform the so-called Kegel exercises (relaxation and tension of the muscles of the genitals to strengthen and increase their elasticity). If the pain after a cesarean section does not go away over time, you should still contact your doctor, who will be able to accurately diagnose the tear and prescribe individual treatment.

Give birth to healthy children and maintain your health. Remember that in matters of health, the individuality of each individual organism is very important and plays a major role in determining the correct and most effective course of treatment.