After giving birth, most women experience some level of pain. It may be from the fatigue of pushing a long time or the exhaustion from labor. You may have pain at the incision site of your c-section or from your episiotomy. After one week of postpartum time when should you worry about your pain? The short answer is: always.
However, I can be more detailed to
help patients navigate when it's time to call their acupuncturist,
midwife or doctor. There are many factors to consider in this decision:
was it a vaginal, all natural birth? A vaginal, medicated birth where
medication was administered via the spine? Was there vaginal tearing or
an episiotomy? Was it a planned cesarean or an emergency cesarean
birth? Was there trauma involved with pain, unexpected events or did
your baby experience complications?
During your hospital stay your pain
levels should be completely controlled. Once you return home, try to
wean off your pain medication as quickly as possible, typically one to
two weeks maximum. At that point, depending on how you answered the
above birthing questions, you can expect soreness and discomfort for
several weeks postpartum. If you have sharp, shooting, burning or
stabbing pain you should call your care provider immediately but most
likely it's an Acupuncturist who will be able to help you the most.
Some women find that a traumatic birth adds to the psychosomatic aspect of pain, intensifying it everywhere. First, I'd like to address the word
psychosomatic. The definition is:
1 : of, relating to, concerned with, or involving both mind and body ...
2 : of, relating to, involving, or
concerned with bodily symptoms caused by mental or emotional
disturbance. However, our society tends to interpret psychosomatic as
"it's all in your head" or "it's your fault" or "it's not real".
Emotionally traumatic birth experiences affect our emotions and make it
harder not only to care for your child alone at first, but also make it
harder to heal both emotionally and physically. Any compounded, negative
emotion that is unresolved will heighten your pain response and need to
be addressed either during your acupuncture sessions or with a
therapist in talk therapy.
Chronic pain after giving birth is more common than one would
think but it manifests differently in each woman. You want to take the birth itself into consideration, per-existing conditions that also may cause pain, blood loss and emotional support during and after giving birth. Some have pain with
intercourse, others have lingering pain in the external genitalia area.
Others find they have muscle pain or joint pain. Some women have pain at
the site of injections in their spine with an epidural or spinal block.
If this doesn't resolve within three weeks on it's own, seek medical
attention. If at any time, you have a fever, or a very stiff neck, call
your doctor immediately and be seen.
If you have pain that doesn't resolve within two weeks of birthing or prohibits you from caring for yourself or your baby, get treatment right away.
First
Try Acupuncture: The best form of medicine for pain relief by far is
acupuncture. Acupuncture can release naturally occurring endorphins and
enkephalins. Both improve pain tolerance and lift your mood.
Acupuncture, when combined with traditional Chinese herbal medicine,
can also repair nerve damage that may have occurred during the birth.
It is most common at site where the needle was inserted for an epidural
or a spinal block. Muscle damage and ligament damage is also a
possibility.
Try Icing or heating the area: 20
minutes on and 20 minutes off. If it doesn't feel better try heating
the area for the same amount of time.
Baths: As soon as your doctor or midwife gives you the ok, try a warm bath.
Changing
posture and supporting with pillows. Women have a lot of changes going
on post partum and one thing is for sure, holding, nursing and carrying a
baby can put a lot of pressure on your back, neck and arms. Breast
feeding adds to postural challenges so be sure to have a supportive
chair and bed with props and pillows to help support your body, however
you find comfortable.
Massage: Some patients find massage helps relax tight muscles and can alleviate muscular pain.
Herbal
Medicine recommended by an Acupuncturist: Ask your Acupuncturist for
herbal recommendations based on what type of pain, where your pain is
and how long you have had it. Also, be sure to mention if you are breast
feeding or not. Traditional Chinese medicine has treated billions of
women so their natural medicine tends to be the most efficient and
effective herbal medicine available. Herbal medicine can help heal nerve
pain (shooting or burning), muscle pain, joint pain or bone pain.
Medication:
As a very last resort, sometimes you will need medication to help with
post partum pain. Find a doctor who trusts you and work closely with
them. The shorter amount of time you are on pain medication, the better
due to the high risk of becoming addicted.
As a partner, friend, husband or relative: believe her. Comparing your experience
with hers, especially if you didn't experience any pain at all, is not
helpful right now. Help care for the baby: when the baby cries, you go
get the baby and bring it to her. Help her stay mostly in bed for one
month. Draw her a bath, and cook all of her meals. Make sure she has
water at all times, especially if she is breast feeding since she will
most likely be thirsty and it will help keep her milk supply. Reach out
to her friends to make more meals. Ask a family member to come and help
so she can take naps, and they can do laundry for her. If it feels good
to her, rub her back, scalp and feet. Do the grocery shopping or have it
delivered. Most of all, tell her you love her and she is doing an
amazing job. Be sure you let her know she is not alone, and you will
help her get to the bottom of what is causing her pain. Help her
schedule doctors appointments and find her the best acupuncturist in
town. Be sure you find an L.Ac., as they have over 3,000-4,000 hours of
training compared healthcare providers who also do acupuncture only may
have 100 hours.
Need an herbal consult for postpartum pain or other health problems. Just give us a call and we can help you. We have over 20 years and thousands of treatment success stories.
