Pain after caesarean section

introduction

Pain after the caesarean section is very excruciating for many patients, but to a certain extent, if disturbing, it is quite normal.
Less than 100 years ago it was common for the patient to lie in the so-called puerperium for up to 6 weeks after the birth and to recover from the exertions of the birth. Nowadays, however, a patient is expected to be fit again immediately after giving birth and, ideally, to lose the excess pounds within a very short time. However, this is an enormous burden for the body because pregnancy with the following birth is very exhausting and drains the strength of the expectant mother. Thus, pain after the caesarean section is also to be considered normal and should be accepted as well as possible.

Please also read our page Abdominal pain after childbirth.

causes

There is not one cause why a patient experiences pain after Caesarean section Has. However, many factors coincide which lead to a patient experiencing more or less pain after the caesarean section.
One factor is how long the patient will be in before the caesarean section Labor pains lay. In general, patients who were in labor longer and then had a caesarean section were more likely to have longer pain after the caesarean section than patients for whom a caesarean section was planned from the start.

It also depends a lot on how many superficial cutaneous nerves were injured in the caesarean section. Since a caesarean section is a very big Abdominal incision it may well be that many superficial skin nerves are injured, which in turn can lead to severe pain.

It is also important for the patient to keep in mind that a caesarean section is a very large injury that extends over the entire abdomen and not just the skin, but also the underlying injury fat such as the muscles injured. It is therefore quite normal for a patient to have pain in the abdomen over a long period of time after such an enormous procedure.

Pain after the caesarean section is nothing unusual, but in a certain way belongs to it.
Think of such a wound as if you were cutting your finger deeply. It takes a long time for the wound to heal completely and the wound continues to hurt for several days afterwards. The same happens to a patient who gives birth to her child by caesarean section. Pain after the caesarean section is therefore normal and can sometimes last for several weeks.

However, there are also more dangerous causes that lead to pain after a caesarean section. It is normal that a few days after the caesarean section there is still pain in the area scar and the belly can be felt. However, if there is one red-coloring the scar and in addition to symptoms like fever or chillsso can a infection the scar present, which can then also lead to pain after the caesarean section.
It is therefore important that a patient, especially in the first few weeks, pays attention to whether the scar has changed negatively (discolored red or festering) and whether other symptoms such as the pain after the caesarean section Fever or sweats to be added.

In rare cases, a patient may be after birth Pain in the abdomen and this relates to the caesarean section, but the cause is in Gastrointestinal tract (Gastrointestinal tract) lies or in the female reproductive organs how Uterus (uterus) or Fallopian tubes (Tuba uterina).
It is therefore important for the patient to pay attention to any accompanying symptoms. For example, whether that Stool behavior is regular or whether the patient diarrhea (Diarrhea) or Constipation (Constipation) Has. Also the discharge from the vagina (vagina) should be taken into account, although this is very difficult after giving birth, as bloody discharge can occur again and again.

It is important that a patient who not only has pain after the caesarean section, but also other accompanying symptomsto see a doctor so they can be examined more closely. Most of the time, however, it is harmless pain that is typical after a caesarean section and should go away within a few weeks.

diagnosis

Whether the pain after one Caesarean section can be traced back to the birth process or whether it is a Infection of the scar is best assessed by a doctor.
On the one hand, it is important for the patient to fully explain her symptoms to the attending physician in the anamnesis. In addition, the doctor can look at the scar (inspect) and scan (palpate). It quickly becomes clear whether it is a Inflammation of the scar or whether the pain after the caesarean section is caused by the wound. In addition, the patient can blood can be taken from here Inflammation values as the C-reactive protein (CRP for short) increase when the scar has actually become infected.

Most of the time, the pain after the caesarean section is only pain caused by the injury to the annoy and which should disappear on their own after a while and therefore do not require any diagnostics.

Frequency distribution

Since it is a Caesarean section to make a very grand opening of the Abdominal skin including fat and Muscles every patient experiences pain after the caesarean section. Especially immediately after the operation, you may experience greater pain.
In most patients, the pain after the caesarean section decreases from day to day, so that after approx. 2 weeks mild pain is rarely felt. Other patients, however, still have 6 weeks repeated pain in the area of ​​the scar. How long the pain will last depends on the patient and is difficult to predict in advance.

Symptoms

Pain after the caesarean section can have different accompanying symptoms and intensities. Usually there is severe pain the day after the caesarean section, which should then decrease slightly from day to day.
Moving or straining, such as holding the newborn, may make the pain worse or worse after the caesarean section.

If, in addition to the pain, there is also itching in the area of ​​the scar, red discoloration of the skin, suppuration or fever, the patient should urgently consult a doctor, as it could be an infection of the scar that is in the worst case scenario can spread further. In addition to pain after the caesarean section, there is also a discharge from the vagina (vagina) frequently and chest pain can occur again and again.

You might also be interested in: Caesarean scar pain

Duration of pain after caesarean section

How long pain after Caesarean section persist is very different depending on the patient. Most of the patients stay for about 5-7 days in the hospital. During this time, pain can recur, although the duration of the pain after the caesarean section and the intensity of the pain should decrease within the first week.

However, the exact duration of post-caesarean pain is difficult to predict. The pain is usually worst during the days in hospital, which is why every patient has one Pain pump with which she can pump painkillers into her blood vessels as needed.

How long the pain lasts after the caesarean section varies greatly from person to person. Most patients can walk around the apartment again after 10 days without experiencing pain, but lifting heavy objects or small children is not yet allowed during this time as it can then again lead to severe pain and the duration of the pain thus extended after the caesarean section.

To 6 weeks wound healing is complete. By this point at the latest, the patients should be as pain-free as possible. However, there are complications, such as one Infection of the scar, the duration of pain after the caesarean section can increase. In general, however, the patient after 2 weeks is so pain-free again that she can go about her everyday life.

Strength of pain after a caesarean section

Unfortunately, it is not possible to judge from the outset how bad the pain will be after the caesarean section. There are a few Risk factors, like for example very overweightwhich may indicate that post-caesarean pain is getting worse than other patients.

How bad the pain after the caesarean section becomes, however, varies greatly from patient to patient and also depends on personal feelings and on the fact whether the patient has had complications or not.

If a patient has complications, such as a Inflammation of the scar, the pain after caesarean section becomes worse than in patients who did not have complications. How bad the pain becomes after the complication of the caesarean section also depends on the extent of the complication and the treatment.

In general, however, it can be said that the pain after the caesarean section worst in the first week the patient spends this week in the hospital and there with the help of Pain medication can relieve the pain so that a speedy recovery is possible.

Pain after caesarean section right and left

Most of the time, pain occurs on the left and right after the caesarean section, as the patient's scar runs through the middle belly pulls through.

Because during the operation superficial cutaneous nerves are severed, there is pain after the caesarean section on the left and right of the abdomen, i.e. on the left and right of the scar. In principle, this is not unusual and the patient can use Pain medication and balanced diet get the pain under control too.
However, if the pain changes or if the pain becomes more intense on the left and right after the caesarean section and if there is also a fever or swelling of the scar, a doctor should be consulted so that he can examine whether the pain is on the left and right after the caesarean section possibly one Infection of the scar acts.

Abdominal pain after caesarean section

If a patient brings her child by Caesarean section into the world, so there is pain in the abdomen after the caesarean section. This is because a cesarean section is a major surgery that involves making a large cut through the Abdominal wall must be done. This is superficial Cutaneous nerves, adipose tissue and muscles damaged and injured. This leads to pain in the abdomen after the caesarean section.

In the first week that the patient spends in the hospital for control, the patient receives Pain medication against pain in the abdomen after a caesarean section. After that, the patient should deal with a lot Gait training such as light food and plenty of fluids try to minimize the pain on the abdomen after the caesarean section.

After about 2-6 weeks, the pain in the abdomen after the caesarean section should also have disappeared or at least the patient should be able to carry out her everyday activities by then.

Pubic bone pain after caesarean section

Many patients complain of pain after a caesarean section, which sometimes extends to Pubic bone pull. This can have several causes.

On the one hand, it may be because the patient had previously had pain due to the pregnancy and the pressure that the baby exerted on the pubic bone, which she only really becomes aware of after the birth. This means that the patient can feel as if she has pain in the pubic bone after the caesarean section, even if it may have been there before.

Another reason may be that when the patient tried to push the child out of the birth canal, she was putting a lot of strain on the pubic bone. Thus, the pain on the pubic bone after the caesarean section can be traced back to the fact that the patient overloaded the pubic bone while trying to give birth to the child naturally.

Another cause may be that the patient is trying to get a Relieving posture take, for example, lying on your back a lot, overloading the pubic bone. This can also lead to pain in the pubic bone after the caesarean section.

In general, however, the patient does not need to worry, as it is normal that pain can occur after childbirth and especially after major surgery, which does not have to be limited to the abdomen. However, if the pain persists or if the patient feels insecure, she should ask a doctor to let him know Pubic bone examined, since in rare cases it can happen that a patient in this area has a Fatigue fracture suffered or that one of the ligaments or the pubic symphysis has become detached.

therapy

Pain after Caesarean section are very annoying for a patient because she cannot do many things as she would like. Just holding the child in your arms can make the pain so worse that it is no longer possible.

Some patients experience such severe pain after Caesarean sectionthat they hardly want to move out of bed. However, this is only allowed in the first 1-2 days. Then the patient should try to walk back and forth in the apartment or in the hospital despite the pain, without putting unnecessary strain on the stomach.
It is important that the patient tries to get back on her feet as quickly as possible despite the pain, as lying down for too long increases the risk Risk of thrombosis entails that should be avoided.

If a patient has very severe pain after the caesarean section, she can also Pain medication receive. It is important here that these pain medications are not included in the Breast milk skip over so the infant does not need to Pain medication if the patient wishes to breastfeed.
Here it is important that the patient informs herself as far as possible in the hospital about which medication she can and is allowed to take when and in which dosage and, if necessary, has a prescription prescribed for them. Then the patient can take painkillers at home individually and as needed for pain after the caesarean section.

Can also relieve pain after a caesarean section cooling compresses that are carefully placed on the stomach. Since it is already at Flatulence (Flatulence) or Constipation (Obsitpation) Pain after the caesarean section can occur, it is important to be aware of the after-surgery period nutrition to pay attention and if possible high in fiber to eat, as well as possible much to drink.
It can also be very helpful to wear cotton underpants that are a little too large so that no uncomfortable synthetic material rubs against the scar and thus causes pain after the caesarean section or unnecessarily irritates the scar.
In addition, the patient should try on the second day despite the pain after the caesarean section have a shower and wash the wound with water without rubbing the wound.

Relief of pain after caesarean section

To the pain after Caesarean section There are various ways to alleviate this.
On the one hand, the patient should pay particular attention to the Do not strain your abdominal muscles unnecessarily. This means that on the one hand excessive movements, such as getting up out of bed, should be avoided, but on the other hand should also Flatulence (Flatulence) and Constipation (Constipation), as the patient has to tense the abdominal wall.
In order to relieve pain after the caesarean section, it is advisable to do so if possible to eat high in fiber and much to drink so that the chair is kept as soft as possible.

Furthermore, it helps to relieve the pain after the caesarean section if the scar is cleaned repeatedly while showering without the scar becoming additionally irritated.
Soaps with additives must also be kept away from the scar!

To relieve the initial pain after a caesarean section, there are also the first ones 5-7 days in the hospital often a so-called Pain pump. This is a device that is connected to a hose that is in a Blood vessel (vein) is in the patient's arm.
Using this pain pump, the patient can individually relieve the pain after the caesarean section by pressing a button, which then causes a cesarean section Painkiller inserted into the vein. Even after the hospital stay, the patient can relieve the pain after the caesarean section by using Painkillers receives, that do not pass into breast milk.

prophylaxis

There is little a patient can do to avoid post-caesarean pain.
On the one hand, it is important that the patient takes care not to be excessively overweight before the pregnancy, as this can represent a great danger and burden for the child and the patient.
Even during pregnancy, it is important not to eat for two, but to pay attention to your eating habits as best you can.
The more overweight a patient is, the more difficult it is to heal wounds after the caesarean section and the greater the pain after the caesarean section.

Another good prophylaxis is if the patient repeats the pregnancy even at the end of the pregnancy going for a walk around thus the Blood circulation to promote the entire body. Because the better the blood circulation, the better it is Wound healing later and the less pain a patient has after the caesarean section.

forecast

A patient takes care of her Caesarean section scar regularly and if she makes sure to keep moving, the pain after the caesarean section should be so minimal within a few days that the patient can leave the hospital. This is mostly after 5-7 days the case.

Often threads are used that can be removed after 10 days dissolve on their own, in other cases, the clips or threads must be removed after about 10 days.

Depending on the patient, it takes approx. Until the scar is completely healed 6 weeks. Until then, pain can occur again and again, but most patients already have hardly any pain and can go about their everyday life almost completely normally.
Still should first 6-8 weeks Care should be taken not to carry and lift objects that are too heavy, otherwise it becomes unnecessary Delay in wound healing can come.