There s no question about it, childbirth either vaginal delivery or C-section can be hard on the human body. It can cause injury such as an incision, episiotomy or a tear. These injuries often cause some pain or discomfort. Normally the tissues heal and the pain resolves within 6-8 weeks, but what if the pain doesn’t go away?
Think of a sprain. After the injury, the area becomes much more sensitive it doesn’t take much touch to cause pain. Also, the surrounding muscles tighten up to protect the healing joint and keep you from moving it too much. Often, as the injury heals, these protective mechanisms increased sensitivity and muscle tension go away. Sometimes they don’t. If this increased sensitivity or muscle tension remain, they can cause the pain to persist, way beyond normal healing time frames. This is often the case in pain that doesn’t resolve after childbirth. Your pelvic floor muscles which surround the vagina, urethra and anus go through significant stretching, and sometimes tearing during childbirth. They often tighten after in a protective response. If this does not go away, it can contribute to continuing pain. Since the pelvic floor has so many functions, this pain can vary. It can be pain around the vagina, rectum, bladder, low back, hips, pubic bone or SI joints. The pain can be with pressure, activity, bowel movements, being still or with sex.
What can be done? Ultimately, the goal is to get rid of the increased protection. A pelvic floor physiotherapist will get a lot of background information and do a thorough examination of your pelvis (bones, muscles and other tissues), posture, abdominals and low back. She will then work to eliminate excess tension in muscles and other tissues (like scars that may not move well or be tender), decrease sensitivity of the tissues, get you moving better, and get you back to your normal activities.
If you are experiencing postpartum pain and would like to schedule a consultation with Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist Danielle van Andel please call Pure Pelvic Health today. We are located inside the Physio In Motion Therapy Centre at 700 Main Street East in Hamilton, ON. Our telephone number is (905) 218-6556. Our office hours are Monday – Wednesday, 9:00am – 5:00pm.
