Abdominal pain after a caesarean section
introduction
Despite modern medicine, pain after childbirth is usually unavoidable - birth by caesarean section is no exception.
Abdominal pain after a caesarean section occurs in almost every woman and in most cases is harmless. Occasionally, however, you are the first sign of a complication that requires treatment or a new disease that appears.
In particular, very strong or increasing pain should therefore always be clarified by a doctor. Typically, the abdominal pain will decrease significantly within a few days or weeks and will disappear completely once the surgical wound has healed. Until then, they can usually be well controlled with the help of effective pain relievers.
Read more about the topic here: Pain after a caesarean section
causes
The causes for abdominal pain after a cesarean section diverse. By far most common cause however is the Operation itself.
Be independent of the surgical procedure Abdominal wall and uterus at the Caesarean section fully opened - those with it resulting wounds are much smaller than in the past with the surgical techniques used today, but they need at least some weeksuntil they are completely healed and no longer cause pain. Because of these surgical wounds, in the first few weeks after the caesarean section, movement, tension in the abdomen and insufficient rest increase the pain.
Another occasional trigger for post-operative pain is Inflammation of the surgical wound. This is mostly through bacteria causes and, depending on the extent, can hardly be noticeable or lead to very severe discomfort. An inflammation shows not only pain but also another Redness, swelling and Overheating of the wound as well as a Overproduction of wound secretions on. Due to the noticeable symptoms, it is usually recognized and treated quickly.
Furthermore, after a caesarean section - as after all operations in the abdomen - the Intestines be sluggish for a few days. This can be too severe flatulence such as Constipationn and thereby lead to abdominal pain.
Other, much rarer causes of abdominal pain after caesarean section are the Infection of the uterus or peritoneum, one Wound healing disorder or Rebleeding on the uterus, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract such as a gastrointestinal infection as well Voiding disorders.
diagnosis
All patients after a caesarean section are recommended for about 1 week in the clinic to stay and yourself monitor allow. During this week they are usually regular control examination carried out in order to assess whether complications arise.
It is also checked whether any abdominal pain is normal or a sign of a disease or complication that requires treatment. For example, there is a Abdominal exam, the control of urine and bowel movement, the Control of the uterus and in unclear cases also a Abdominal ultrasound instead of.
Which abdominal pain after a caesarean section is (still) normal?
Mild to moderate abdominal pain is normal after every caesarean section. The main pain is usually located in the lower abdomen and on the surgical wound. Normally, it becomes stronger when moving and when tensing the abdominal muscles. While the abdominal pain only lasts 2-3 weeks in some women, it can still be felt after months in others. If they last for more than 3 months, they are called "chronic". Chronic pain does not necessarily mean that a dangerous illness is the cause, but it is not normal and should be examined by a doctor.
It is important that, regardless of the speed of healing, the abdominal pain should only be slight under pain medication and if physical restraint is observed. Over time, there must be a noticeable tendency towards improvement.
It is not normal if the pain becomes noticeably worse after a few days. This should be communicated to the attending physician at an early stage so that possible complications can be identified quickly. It is also unusual when painkillers no longer work. On the one hand, this could be due to the fact that the selected medication is too weak, on the other hand, complications such as wound infection can also manifest themselves in this way.
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Duration of pain after a caesarean section
If there are no complications after the caesarean section, such as infection or wound healing disorders, the pain usually lasts for about 2-8 weeks. The duration of the abdominal pain depends, among other things, on the quality of the operation, the wound healing and the behavior of the patient in the weeks after the operation. When painkillers are used, patients usually only feel the pain to a small extent over the entire duration.
If complications such as wound infection or adhesions in the abdomen occur, abdominal pain can be felt for months to years after the caesarean section, depending on the disease.
Concomitant symptoms
Depending on the cause of the abdominal pain, various accompanying symptoms can occur.
Will the Pain from surgical wounds caused mostly lie no or only minor secondary complaints like itching or Twitching in the abdomen in front.
Are however Inflamed wounds, the surrounding skin can have a Have redness, swelling, and overheating and the wound produces a lot of wound exudate. As with any severe inflammation or infection, a fever can also occur.
Ignited yourself that Peritoneum, can they Pain increase significantly within a short time. Because of the severe pain that may then occur, a so-called "hard stomach" can occur: the abdominal muscles are involuntarily tensed even when the abdominal wall is touched lightly. If inflammation of the peritoneum is not treated quickly, the disease can lead to severe circulatory problems and ultimately even death.
are Flatulence responsible for the abdominal pain, a badly bloated stomach can be noticed. Kick a constipation usually shows up next to stomach pain absent or very hard bowel movementsthat can only be squeezed out with great effort.
Settle as part of the caesarean section bacteria Abdominal pain, in addition to severe abdominal pain, can decrease in the uterus and cause an infection increased or malodorous vaginal discharge occur.
Treatment / therapy
Abdominal pain after a caesarean section will be for at least some days With Painkillers treated. It is important whether that Newborns breastfed may or may not - some medications may not be used when breastfeeding. The reason is that some Active ingredients in breast milk pass over and can then be inadvertently administered to the child.
Commonly used pain relievers in nursing mothers are Paracetamol, ibuprofen, diclofenac and Acetylsalicylic acid. If the pain is severe you can also Morphine derivatives can be used.
Will be a bacterial infection the wound, peritoneum or uterus must be identified as the cause of the pain Antibiotics can be used. Which antibiotic is used depends not only on the pathogen, but also on whether or not breastfeeding is used. After using an antibacterial agent, the infection should subside Improve significantly within 2-3 days and the pain subsides.
Kicks one after the caesarean section Indolence on - medically called "postoperative intestinal atony" - enemas can be administered or Belly wrap applied to get the bowel going again.
Abdominal pain left after caesarean section
Left-sided abdominal pain after a caesarean section, if it occurs, is usually in the unter or middle part of the left side of the abdomen localized. you are relatively rare and usually harmless, but you can also click on a Illness requiring treatment Clues. This is particularly the case if the pain was only felt in the middle abdomen at the beginning or the side abdominal pain is very severe.
The majority of those affected experience left-sided abdominal pain caused by the surgical wound on and in the abdoment and heal after a few weeks of rest. They occur more frequently when a large amount of operations had to be performed on the left part of the abdomen as part of the caesarean section.
Abdominal pain on the left side, however, can also be the first sign of dangerous illnesses, especially if there are additional symptoms. For example, occurs fever or a malodorous vaginal discharge added, is to a Infection of the uterus, left fallopian tube or of the ovary to think. In this case, examinations and antibiotic treatment should be arranged as soon as possible, since an infection of the female genital organs can have serious consequences.
After a caesarean section twist in rare cases Fallopian tubes and ovary. With such a twist, the blood vessels are often also affected, which is why the blood flow to the affected organs can be completely interrupted. Usually this triggers extreme pain in the side of the abdomen. Such a situation presents one emergency and must be operated on as soon as possible.
Abdominal pain right after caesarean section
Abdominal pain after a caesarean section is usually felt in the middle of the surgical wound or inside the lower abdomen. Just kinda rare show the main pain on the right side of the abdomen. They can and should also be caused by the surgical wounds within days or a few weeks decrease significantly.
However, just like left-sided abdominal pain, they can too be the first symptom of more dangerous diseases, especially if the pain on the right side does not appear until several days after the caesarean section. You can then sign a so-called "Ovarian vein thrombosis" be. This creates a clot in the evacuating blood vessel of the ovary and disrupts the regular blood flow in it. In the worst case, this can lead to blood poisoning and become life-threatening.
Read more about the topic here: Pain in the ovaries
In addition, after a caesarean section due to the operation in the vicinity of the bladder urination may be impaired for a few days. This can, if not handled properly, lead to one Build-up of urine up to the kidneys and consequently lead to infection. If this is not treated early with antibiotics, the Kidneys permanently damaged become.
Right-sided abdominal pain can also occur in diseases that occur independently of the caesarean section. Gastrointestinal infections and Appendicitis belong in this case to the common clinical pictures.
Abdominal pain weeks / months after caesarean section
Abdominal pain can occur after a caesarean section several weeks or a few months last for. It is completely normal. As a rule, however, the pain gets weaker and weaker and should, depending on how well the surgical wounds heal, almost disappear after a maximum of 2 months.
If people have certain pre-existing conditions like diabetes can suffer However, healing will also take more time.
The abdominal pain does not decrease for months, even increase in intensity or meet with other symptoms like fever and vaginal bleeding, this is an indication of one serious cause and should clarified as soon as possible become. A common cause of recurring abdominal pain several months after a caesarean section is Adhesions in the abdomen. They can arise due to the irritation during the operation and, in addition to pain, lead to symptoms such as infertility or disorders of the intestinal transit.
The abdominal pain depends on the Menstrual period together, but are different in character or in intensity than a possibly known period pain, the migration of the uterine lining into the uterine wall could be called "Endometriosis"denotes to be responsible for the pain.
In rare cases a so-called "chronic post-operative pain" on. He describes pain after surgery that longer than 3 months persist and the cause of which cannot be clearly clarified. The only therapy here is pain reliever treatment with medication.
