Women who have undergone a cesarean section often experience discomfort as their abdominal incision heals. This can be compounded by back pain, a common occurrence following C-sections. This combination of pain can significantly impact daily activities, making it challenging to perform chores, sleep comfortably, and care for the newborn. Research supports the observation that C-sections can have an impact on back health. Let's explore some of the key factors that contribute to back pain after cesarean delivery and discuss helpful tips for pain relief.
Reasons Behind Back Pain After C-Section
C-section back pain causes discomfort that may range from mild to severe, often affecting daily activities, sleep quality, and overall mobility during the recovery period. Here are some of the reasons for this issue to occur:
1: Hormonal Changes
During pregnancy, relaxin (a hormone) is released by the body to prepare for childbirth. This pregnancy hormone loosens the joints and ligaments to make it easy to push the baby. Since it is easy to strain the back or pelvis when the ligaments and joints are loose, even a small activity can cause back pain and mid or lower back pain after C-section becomes a typical occurrence. The good news is the pain will subside gradually in the months after delivery once the joints and ligaments begin to strengthen.
Pain Relief Tips
Use an abdominal binder or a core stabilising abdomen band to reduce stress and become quickly mobile.
Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, do easy exercises like yoga or pilates. These exercises release tension from the back muscles and strengthen your belly muscles. Walking is also a good choice as it eases back spasms and enhances blood circulation.
2: Inflammation
C-sections involve making incisions in the uterus, abdominal muscles, and several layers of tissues. The healing process post-surgery may cause inflammation and pain in the belly and back muscles and the nearby tissues. Pain in the pelvis, lower back, and areas around the surgical incision are also common, especially in the early stages of healing.
Pain Reducing Tips
During the first few days after surgery or whenever you experience pain, apply ice to the area of your pain or the incision for about 10 minutes every few hours until the pain subsides. Always use a thin cloth between your skin and the ice pack.
Keep the incision area dry and clean, and check it daily for swelling, bleeding, or redness. If you see unusual or new symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.
If the pain is unbearable, you can ask for pain relief meds. There are pain medicines that are safe for breastfeeding.
3: Inactivity
After a C-Section delivery, you may feel like resting more and moving less. While this helps initially, after a while, it may lead to pain or stiffness in the hips and back, reduced mobility, and weakened muscles in the abdomen. So, inactivity can be a reason forback pain after a C-section.
Pain Relief Tips
As soon as the doctor allows you to become mobile, start walking. Walking reduces pain and supports healing by reducing swelling and improving blood circulation.
Make a schedule for your walk. Seek help from family members to care for the baby in your absence.
Aim to walk for 5 to 10 minutes every few hours. If you feel unsteady ask someone to walk along and increase the walking time as you get stronger.
When you cannot walk, try marching to get your blood flowing and your body moving.
4: Scar Tissue
Adhesions are layers of scar tissue that can cause internal organs and tissues to stick together, potentially disrupting their normal function. After abdominal surgeries, such as a C-section, the body forms scar tissue to heal the incision. However, this scar tissue can extend deeper, forming adhesions in the abdomen. These adhesions are known to cause pelvic and abdominal pain, interfere with gastrointestinal function, and even affect fertility. Additionally, they can impair the functioning of abdominal muscles, leading to back pain and posture issues.
Pain Relief Tips
Scar massage helps treat or prevent adhesions to reduce pain. Consult a pelvic physical therapist to learn how to do a scar massage.
Other techniques that create flexibility in tissues around the scar are dry needling, cupping and heat. These increase mobility near adhesions, help soft tissue mobilisation, and reduce pain after C-section.
5: Hunching Forward
During the initial days of childbirth, new moms tend to hunch over all day to breast or bottle-feed the baby. Plus, they feel protective about the incision and tend to hunch forward, and this unbalanced posture can increase the already existing back pain as you hunch forward, straining the already tired and weak back muscles.
Pain Relief Tips
Whether lying down or sitting up, prop yourself with multiple pillows behind the upper back, lower back, and head so that the spine is aligned neutrally.
When sitting, keep your shoulders in line with your hips and your ears in line with your shoulders. Make sure your weight is evenly balanced on both seatbones.
Place your feet on the floor or a short stool to maintain balance when holding or feeding the baby. Keep pillows under the arms to support the baby.
To avoid neck strain, take breaks, look up, keep the chest open and roll the shoulders back.
The challenges and changes that come with giving birth to a baby can take a toll on you emotionally. Many women suffer from PMADs (perinatal and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders). The anxiety and stress associated with the responsibilities of being a new mom, along with recovering from ceasarian delivery and hormonal changes, can manifest as physical symptoms like back pain.
Pain Relief Tips
Remember that many new moms go through this struggle, and when you start talking to others, it makes things easy. Knowing about their struggles and realising that new moms need help to manage anxiety and stress makes it easy to be kind to yourself and to speak to a doctor about it.
If you feel you are unable to handle the responsibilities, seek help from the many available options, like online clinics specifically made for maternal health.
Road to Recovery After C-Section
Whether the C-section delivery was unexpected or planned, know that the recovery time is longer, and you are likely to have back pain. However, the postpartum back pain after C-section is temporary and reversible by following the above tips. Discuss pain relief options with your doctor if back pain interferes with your everyday activities.
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