Suture pain after cesarean section: possible causes. Suture after cesarean section: possible problems and treatment

Pain occurs not only during childbirth, but also after cesarean section. The suture after a cesarean section hurts on the skin and on the uterus, and the pain from uterine contractions also bothers me. All this causes unpleasant emotions and can have a bad effect on the postpartum recovery of the body.

Sometimes the pain after a cesarean section is much worse than the pain during childbirth. Since every 3-4 women have to deal with this operation, the question of how much the stomach will hurt worries many expectant mothers.

After surgery, the first thing a woman will have to face is pain. In the first few days it is especially strong.

You will definitely be prescribed pain medication. I can't stand it. This negatively affects the body’s recovery after surgery, slowing it down. The tone of the anterior abdominal wall is reduced in order to protect the sore spot.

In the future, hernias may form. On day 3, women usually refuse pain relief. Until the sutures are removed, I am worried about pain in the area of the postoperative suture on the skin. This will happen on 7-8 days.

For about another month there will be discomfort in the suture area, itching, burning. But the sensitivity disorder will last longer. Up to 3-4 months. But we are all individual and the duration of pain may vary.

The vertical seam from the navel down to the pubis hurts a little longer than the horizontal seam in the bikini area.

But the suture on the anterior abdominal wall is not the only cause of pain. The uterus hurts and contracts.

Interesting! The pain intensifies during breastfeeding and resembles weak contractions.

The abdomen may be bothersome due to the accumulation of gases in the intestines. Especially if you violated the recommended diet.

If adhesions form, this will lead to the development of chronic pelvic pain in the long term. She has a pulling character. Therefore, after surgery it is necessary to prevent adhesions.

Endometriosis is another cause of chronic pelvic pain after cesarean section.

If the postpartum period is complicated by purulent-septic diseases, this will also cause pain. But normally there should not be such pain. When the uterus becomes inflamed, intense pain appears in the lower abdomen. In this case, the discharge becomes dirty in color with an unpleasant odor, the temperature rises, and weakness bothers you.

Why can the suture hurt after a cesarean section?

During cesarean section, tissues, vessels and nerves were cut. The anterior abdominal wall is damaged: skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, and the uterus is also injured. It causes pain.

In response to tissue injury, the body releases hormones into the blood that constrict blood vessels. The plus is that bleeding stops, the minus is that blood circulation and nutrition of damaged tissues worsen.

Metabolic products accumulate in the tissues - acids, which damage them even more and increase pain.

If complications arise and the tissue healing process is disrupted, the pain may last for several months.

In some cases, the scar will separate after the stitches are removed. Daily dressings are required, and sometimes even secondary sutures.
If there is a negative reaction of the body to the suture material, then ligature fistulas can form. First, a painful nodule, hot to the touch, forms in the suture area, and then pus comes out of it through the resulting hole. This situation also requires doctor's supervision.
Hematomas in the subcutaneous tissue and under the aponeurosis. Cause pain. They can lead to suppuration of the suture and its divergence. If there is redness, swelling, pain and pus in the suture area, consult a doctor.

The seam hurts and pulls after years. This happens when:

endometriosis of the skin scar. The uterine mucosa gets into the scar and grows there. This causes pain that gets worse during menstruation.
Scar neuroma. When damaged nerve endings begin to sprout randomly in the skin scar. The most effective treatment for these conditions is repeat surgery and excision of the scar.
postoperative scar hernia. A scar is a weak spot in the anterior abdominal wall. If there are defects in it, then hernias may form over time. Their treatment is only surgical. For prevention, doctors recommend refraining from heavy lifting and intense physical activity in the first 2 months.

Internal suture after cesarean

After a cesarean section, the stitch remains not only on the skin, but also on the uterus. It is he who imposes many restrictions on a woman’s postpartum life.

Important! How long the internal seam will bother you depends on the individual characteristics of the body.

It takes 6-8 weeks for the suture on the uterus to heal. Another 1-1.5 years for its final formation.

Germination of connective tissue scar with muscle fibers. But this is provided that the woman does not suffer from inflammatory diseases of the uterus during this period and does not have an abortion. Otherwise it will take more time.

How long do you need to maintain the protective regime?

To avoid harming yourself, you should not do the following in the first 2 months after surgery:

be sexually active
lift weights
go to the gym and do intense physical activity
take baths

Not many people know that moderate physical activity, a specially selected set of gymnastic exercises after cesarean section, will promote rapid healing of sutures, reduction of pain, contraction of the uterus, and speedy recovery of the body. Rest is needed. Get a good night's sleep. Be outdoors more often.

It is very important to eat right and include meat in your diet. Protein is essential for tissue healing and repair.

Causes of discomfort

Real childbirth is not an easy process; it is accompanied by stretching of the girl’s genital tract, the pelvic symphysis (a movable joint between the bones that can only be moved apart in women), as well as moral discomfort. A caesarean section, only at first glance, can save a woman in labor from problems, because, it would seem, the operation is performed under anesthesia, and no pain is felt.

But many do not take into account that after cutting the muscles of the abdomen and uterus, the tissue must recover, and this is often accompanied by severe discomfort, and it can take about a year to normalize the condition of the muscles.

What could be the reasons why the suture hurts after a cesarean section? There are several of them, each of them has a different nature of pain and treatment method, so you need to carefully monitor your well-being. Below are the causes of discomfort, and each point describes actions that can be taken to reduce pain.

Tissue fusion

The most commonplace and understandable cause of pain is tissue fusion. The incision in the abdominal wall and uterus is quite large, because it is necessary to pull the baby out through it. After this procedure, a rather thick suture is applied; sometimes, in addition to threads, it is fastened with special staples or other medical devices to avoid rupture.

How long does it take for tissue to recover? Each woman’s body is unique; for some, 3-4 months is enough, while for others it will take at least a year. It also depends on the health of the new mother, adherence to bed rest, absence of stress and strong physical strain, and much more.

The first month after a cesarean section will cause the most discomfort. At this time, the sutures begin to grow together with the participation of special scar tissue, which quickly divides. This causes not only pain, but also:

nausea;
dizziness;
sometimes the section site itches and burns.

Such sensations are a physiological norm, so you just have to endure it. If the pain is severe, then consult a doctor for painkillers, but do not try to choose them yourself, because many tablets can harm the baby.

If in the first month, in addition to normal unpleasant symptoms, cutting aching pains occur, the seam becomes crusty, constantly gets wet, and pus is released, you must immediately contact a surgeon, because these may be manifestations of a bacterial or fungal infection of the wound.

Uterine pathologies

Those stitches that remain on the abdomen after a cesarean section are not the only traces of the operation. Inside there are stitched wounds on the mother's uterus. Often, the uterine suture can become inflamed, heal poorly and become severe. All this is accompanied by:

cutting pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the lower back;
copious discharge;
elevated temperature;
feeling unwell.

If treatment is not started on time, negative consequences are possible: cervical or tubal adhesions, endometriosis and others.

The uterine suture may heal poorly due to physical exertion during the rehabilitation period, genetic predisposition, existing pathologies of the uterus, infection and other reasons, so you need to contact a gynecologist to accurately diagnose and begin treatment.

Sex

Of course, after childbirth, the intimate life of a couple does not end, but doctors recommend starting sex after a cesarean section no less than a month later, due to the possibility of severe stretching of the suture. A surgeon or gynecologist will be able to say exactly when sexual intercourse can be resumed after the operation; sometimes there is certain advice regarding positions that are “dangerous” for a fresh wound.

Even after a month, sex should be careful so as not to damage the traumatic tissue that appears. Often, couples are not recommended to have sex lying on their backs or stomachs, because the seam can be damaged due to friction with the bed or the partner's skin.

It is optimal to have sex in a sitting or standing position. The duration of sexual intercourse is also important, because engaging in it for a long time is also dangerous for a woman after surgery. Without harm to the uterine and abdominal sutures, you can have sex for 15-20 minutes.

Misbehavior

Often the suture after a cesarean section hurts due to improper postoperative behavior of the mother. Many important rules are not followed:

This is not the entire list of rules that a mother must follow after a caesarean section. The doctor will tell you all of them before leaving the hospital.

When a woman after a cesarean section sits on the entire surface of her butt, the sutures on the uterus may begin to stretch, which leads to painful sensations and burning, so try to completely avoid a sitting position, and if this is not possible, direct your body weight only on one buttock.

Only after 1-2 months can a woman go to the store on her own, because until this time she cannot lift more than 3 kilograms, because there is a danger of damage to the seam. Due to physical activity, pain can intensify, so it is better not to neglect your health and ask for help from loved ones.

Squats and abdominal crunches are not allowed due to the fact that these exercises involve the abdominal muscles, which have been cut. After a cycle of muscle tension and relaxation, the suture is stretched and the structure of the traumatic tissue is disrupted. It is optimal to resume active physical activity after a year and a half, and before that you should limit yourself to light exercise.

How to get rid of pain with medication

While the child is not yet a year old, the mother is not recommended to take serious painkillers, because their active components penetrate into the milk and disrupt the development of the baby. But instead of internal medications, you can use pain-relieving ointments with a cooling effect, for example, Menovazan or sprays. Be sure to select them together with your doctor, because only he will be able to correctly determine how much of the drug and when to apply.

When the uterine suture heals poorly and hurts, the gynecologist can prescribe special pills that restore its structure in a short course of administration:

These drugs are safe because they are quickly and easily eliminated from the body without contaminating the milk.

If the pain in the suture is too severe, the doctor may prescribe painkillers, but before taking them, the mother must express milk in order to feed the baby later, and by the next feeding the active ingredients of the tablets will have been removed.

Special diet

Anesthesia often involves stopping bowel function. Together with surgical intervention, all this negatively affects the intestines; increased gas formation begins in it, making defecation difficult and causing pain. For about a year, the mother must follow a special diet that excludes:

baking;
sweets (except honey and dried fruits);
fat;
legumes;
smoked meats and semi-finished products.

This is the only way she will protect herself from intestinal dysfunction. The menu must include:

natural fiber (vegetables, herbs, fruits);
dairy products;
lean meat and fish;
vegetable oils and other healthy foods.

It is necessary to carefully monitor how much salt is present in foods, because its abuse causes constipation.

If you have digestive problems or take a long time to digest food, you should contact a gastroenterologist, who will select enzyme preparations that support the function of the stomach and intestines.

It may take up to a year for the body to fully recover, so do not resort to a caesarean section unless necessary. Follow all the doctor’s recommendations for as long as he requires, because neglecting them can not only slow down the healing process of the suture, but also cause it to stretch or diverge.

Many babies today are born through caesarean section. During this surgical procedure, the uterus is cut to remove the baby. An operative delivery procedure is sometimes the only way to preserve the health and life of a woman and her baby. Some expectant mothers neglect natural childbirth in favor of a cesarean section, not having serious indications for the operation. Unfortunately, not all mothers who have undergone this procedure are able to easily recover after the birth of their child.

The speed and imaginary painlessness is what attracts a pregnant woman to childbirth using surgery. However, pain after a cesarean section cannot be avoided. Do not forget that in some cases complications arise after surgery, which are also accompanied by painful discomfort. That is why doctors strongly recommend that expectant mothers resort to cesarean section services only if there are justified indications. To show how serious the consequences of the operation can be, we will look at all the nuances of the recovery of a woman who gave birth using a caesarean section procedure.

Why is there pain after surgery?

First of all, we hasten to note that all women in labor suffer from pain during the postoperative period. No matter how high the professionalism of the obstetrician-gynecologist, surgeon and anesthesiologist, in the process of caesarean section a large area of tissue of the female body comes under attack. Naturally, their regeneration will take some time. One month is enough for one woman to get back on her feet and forget about the unpleasant side of childbirth, while for another it will not be enough for six months to fully recover. Let's talk about what pain can be like after a cesarean section and how quickly it goes away.

Suture hurts after caesarean section

For the first week, or even longer, pain in the area of the postoperative suture will torment the woman constantly - when moving, the injured tissue reminds itself of itself every minute. The dense and strong seam, with the help of which the cut tissues were brought together, puts pressure on them - hence the pain. Until the analgesic effect disappears after anesthesia, the woman does not feel anything, but when the effect of the analgesics wears off, the pain comes on with full force. And, mind you, this is normal. The same applies to nausea and dizziness in the first days after surgery. The new mother will have to be patient for about a week. At this time, you can take painkillers, but many women steadfastly refuse them in order to feed their baby “pure” milk.

A week after a cesarean section, discomfort in the suture area will still be noticeable due to abdominal tension due to coughing, laughing, sneezing, or excessive sudden movements. At the same time, sometimes it seems that after a cesarean section the side hurts, and not the whole abdomen. The pain radiates to the right or left. This suggests that it is too early for a woman to get involved in the cycle of household responsibilities and overload herself. You still need to rest more than you need to do housework. In general, a woman not burdened with chronic diseases will need 3–4 months to return to her pre-pregnancy lifestyle. The intensity of pain will decrease every day.

To reduce pain in the first days after childbirth, doctors recommend that women wear a bandage. With its help, the pressure on the seam is reduced and the pain seems less severe. A bandage that the woman used during pregnancy will do.

Scar hurts after caesarean section

When the tissue cut during surgery heals, the suture turns into a dense scar. It can also cause a woman some discomfort. Usually a young mother feels tingling and dull pain in this place. This condition is not dangerous to health.

The first two weeks after a cesarean section, a woman should carefully monitor her sensations and regularly inspect the suture. The wound must be absolutely clean; it is unacceptable to release even a minimal amount of pus. Headache and sudden increase in temperature indicate the need to immediately consult a doctor.

Bowel pain after cesarean section

Surgical intervention in the birth process in one way or another affects the quality of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular, increased gas formation occurs. A high level of gas accumulation in the intestines can cause quite severe pain for a woman. To eliminate this problem, you must first normalize intestinal motility, which will lead to a decrease in gas formation. Only a doctor can prescribe suitable medications, so you should not self-medicate. A well-thought-out diet will also help improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. For a while, you need to cross out legumes, white cabbage, milk, kefir, cheese, grapes, onions, buns and biscuits, and carbonated drinks from the list of foods you consume. A woman can take care of her intestines a few days before giving birth by carefully reviewing her diet for “dangerous” foods - spicy, sweet, fatty and floury.

After a caesarean section, many women in labor are faced with one delicate problem: excruciating pain in the lower abdomen interferes with bowel movements. And if you add postpartum constipation to this, then this issue cannot be solved on your own. In this case, it is better to consult a doctor: a specialist will prescribe special suppositories that soften stool, stimulate intestinal motility and suppress excessive gas formation.

To prevent congestion in the gastrointestinal tract after a cesarean section, a woman should get out of bed as early as possible. A simple massage will also help: the stomach should be periodically stroked with light massage movements.

Stomach pain after caesarean section

It is easy to confuse with abdominal pain after surgical delivery the painful discomfort that occurs during the process of the uterus returning to its previous size. Moreover, we must not forget that the uterus mainly hurts due to the fresh scar that appeared on it after a cesarean section. The wound and contractile activity generate quite painful sensations that a woman simply needs to endure.

The most excruciating pain, according to mothers, is observed in the first few days after the operation: the uterus begins to actively contract immediately after the completion of labor. Unpleasant sensations when breastfeeding increase significantly, since stimulation of the nipples directly affects the contractility of the uterus.

To help the uterus return to its previous size as quickly as possible, a woman is prescribed uterine oxytocic agents that increase the contraction activity of the muscular organ: Hyfotocin, Dinoprost, Ergotal, Pituitrin, Demoxytocin. These drugs are taken for only a few days - during this time the uterus manages to return to its prenatal state.

Back pain after cesarean section

Pregnancy is a real test for the female body. It is especially difficult for the spine, since due to the heavy load, the expectant mother is forced to endure spasms and pain. Often a woman’s back hurts due to pinched nerves; this problem can persist after the birth of the child.

Sometimes acute back pain after a cesarean section is concentrated in the lower back. This fate can await a woman who tried to give birth to a baby on her own, without resorting to surgery. When pushing, the back muscles are greatly stretched - no matter how miniature the child is, he is still too large for the narrow birth canal, which he must pass through in order to be born.

Pain caused by complications after caesarean section

If the operation is long over, and the pain still does not go away, the young mother needs to be seriously concerned. Unfortunately, various complications after cesarean section occur quite often. You shouldn’t delay your visit to the doctor: your own health is at stake! A timely examination will help find an explanation for what is happening and decide which treatment method to eliminate the problem.

Why do complications occur after surgery? The question is very difficult - when answering it, it is worth taking into account the general health of the mother in labor, the professionalism of the doctors responsible for the caesarean section and the quality of postoperative care. These factors influence the outcome of the situation in one way or another.

If you are about to have a cesarean section, you should know at least in general terms how the symptoms of various complications manifest themselves in order to seek help in a timely manner at the hospital.

Most often, problems after surgical delivery relate to:

internal organs;
postoperative sutures;
individual reaction to anesthesia.

Complications related to internal organs

Let's look at the most common and common problems for many women in labor.

Large blood loss.

During the operation, the integrity of a huge number of blood vessels is invariably compromised. Just compare - natural childbirth deprives a woman of 250 ml of blood, and caesarean section - almost 1 liter! In addition, various pathologies (for example, placenta previa) can increase bleeding.

The body cannot cope with such a problem, so the required volume of blood is artificially replaced: immediately after the operation, the woman in labor is provided intravenously with blood substitutes.

Most often, bleeding begins if this is not the woman’s first cesarean section. The problem is based on adhesions in the abdominal cavity.

Spikes.

This is the name given to “ropes” and films of connective tissue, which fuse the internal organs of the abdominal cavity or intestinal loops in random places. The formation of adhesions is nothing more than a protective reaction of the body to prevent the spread of purulent inflammatory processes. At the same time, a large number of adhesions interfere with the normal functioning of the abdominal organs.

Adhesions are formed as a result of any abdominal surgery. If they are single, they do not affect the woman’s well-being in any way, but adhesive disease (a large number of adhesions) disrupts intestinal activity and causes severe abdominal pain. Adhesions that appear on the fallopian tubes can cause the development of an ectopic pregnancy in the future. It is impossible to detect adhesions using ultrasound; their appearance can be diagnosed using laparoscopy.

A woman can avoid the formation of adhesions if, immediately after childbirth, she performs special exercises and undergoes physiotherapeutic procedures prescribed by a doctor.

Endometritis.

This is widespread inflammation inside the uterus. It appears mainly due to direct contact of the organ with air, during which harmful microorganisms enter its cavity. Signs of endometritis may appear immediately after surgery, and sometimes a whole week may pass before the mother feels unwell. You should immediately seek help from a doctor if your lower abdomen hurts after a cesarean section, and the following symptoms are observed:

high body temperature (up to 39 0);
chills and general weakness;
insomnia;
poor appetite or its complete absence;
rapid pulse;
discharge from the genital tract of brown mucus mixed with pus.

In some cases, endometritis is practically asymptomatic, and it can only be detected by ultrasound or as a result of a clinical blood test. To prevent the development of inflammation, a woman must be prescribed a course of antibacterial drugs after surgery.

Complications associated with postoperative sutures

Problems associated with sutures after cesarean section are divided into early and late, since they can appear both in the first days after the operation and several years after it.

Early complications

Hematomas and bleeding.

This is the result of improper suture application, when the injured blood vessels are not sutured tightly enough. Bleeding can also be caused by careless handling of the seam or changing the dressing.

Purulent-inflammatory reactions.

Insufficient antiseptic treatment or penetration of infection into injured tissue leads to very unpleasant consequences: the sutures become inflamed. Externally the picture looks like this:

the woman’s body temperature rises;
the suture and/or the skin around it turns red;
swelling appears in the suture area;
purulent or bloody discharge is observed from the suture.

All women giving birth are prescribed antibacterial treatment after surgery to avoid complications. The course and dose of antibiotics must be urgently reviewed and certain adjustments made if the suture turns red and swells: this means that, despite the medications, a strong inflammatory process has begun due to infection. It is strictly forbidden to act independently in such matters and change the treatment at your own discretion: the problem of severe suppuration of the suture is solved surgically.

Seam divergence.

The complication is rare: the edges of the incision slightly diverge in different directions. This happens after the threads are removed 7 to 10 days after the operation. This phenomenon can be provoked by a latent infection that prevents the tissues from fully growing together. Sometimes the woman herself is to blame for what happened: for example, if she lifted heavy objects over 4 kg (this cannot be done after a caesarean section).

Late complications

Ligature fistulas.

Ligatures are suture material used to fasten suture cuts, connecting blood vessels. Inflammation appears after infection or after the body rejects the threads. The reaction may develop asymptomatically for several months after surgery, resulting in a small, dense lump under the skin. The lump becomes hot and painful to the touch, and the skin around the fistula turns red. A hole appears in the seal, through which pus leaks out from time to time.

It may happen that the body rejects the thread along with the pus, but this, unfortunately, does not happen often. Delay in such a situation threatens the development of an abscess. The fistula can only be eliminated through surgery to remove the ligature. If several fistulas have formed, the doctor will completely cut the old suture and reapply a new one. It is necessary to periodically inspect the sutures for the first few years after a cesarean section. Ligature fistulas are an unpleasant and very dangerous complication, but if detected in time, eliminating the pathology is not at all difficult.

Hernia.

This complication is very rare. It can be caused by making a longitudinal incision during a cesarean section, or by several operations in a row (if the children are the same age).

Keloid scar.

The problem is purely aesthetic. This cosmetic defect does not pose any health hazard.

When a fresh scar is covered with excessive amounts of tissue during regenerative processes, a wide and rough scar appears. Doctors explain this phenomenon by the individual characteristics of the skin. Fortunately, keloid scars can be almost completely eliminated in several ways:

Conservative methods. You can try several at once: for example, exposure to ultrasound, treatment with special creams, cryotherapy based on liquid nitrogen.
Surgical method: A scar that is not too rough can be removed through surgery. This method has many opponents who consider it ineffective, since the scar was originally formed due to the characteristics of the connective and integumentary tissues.

A dermatologist will tell the woman which method will be most effective.

Complications arising after anesthesia

After general anesthesia.

Drugs that are used to put a woman in labor under anesthesia can pose a danger to the baby's muscle, nervous and respiratory activity. There is also a threat to the health of the mother's cardiovascular system.
Injury to the mother's throat may occur when a tracheal tube is inserted.
Severe consequences occur after aspiration. This is the name of a complication in which gastric juice penetrates the organs of a woman’s respiratory system.

After spinal and epidural anesthesia.

A sudden decrease in blood pressure in the mother, which may result in harm to the baby.
Oxygen starvation in a baby.
Painful sensations in the head and back of a woman.
If, during the process of epidural anesthesia, the veins in the epidural space were accidentally damaged in a woman in labor, the woman is at risk of intoxication with anesthetics, most of which will penetrate into the systemic bloodstream.
Spinal block. The complication is that the woman in labor experiences severe pain due to the saturation of the cerebrospinal fluid with a large dose of anesthetics. If the lining of the spinal cord is punctured incorrectly, a woman may even stop breathing or stop her heart.
Decreased vital activity of the child as a result of exposure to anesthetic drugs.

How to protect yourself from the dangerous consequences of a cesarean section

As you can see, there are a lot of complications after surgical resolution, almost more than after natural childbirth. This means that a woman in labor who is about to have a caesarean section must take very good care of herself after the operation. Particular attention should be regularly paid to postoperative sutures, discharge and scars.

Physical activity for the first time after surgery is strictly contraindicated for a new mother. Although special gymnastics, the rules of which the doctor will tell the woman, can be done.

Today, a caesarean section can be called a standard procedure that has been practiced almost to the point of automaticity. However, a pregnant woman must be aware that this is a complex abdominal operation, and any surgical intervention on the fragile tandem of mother and baby is fraught with serious consequences if circumstances go wrong.

Not a single doctor, even the most professional one, can give you a 100% guarantee that the operation and recovery process will go without a hitch. Fortunately, this happens in most cases, but cases with complications are also not uncommon. Therefore, every woman must know what deviations from the norm there are and what symptoms they are accompanied by. The sooner you notice the body's alarm signals, the sooner doctors will provide you with qualified assistance. And if there are no special indications for a caesarean section, you need to prepare for a natural birth with a calm soul - God saves the best.

How to care for a suture after surgery. Video

Pain after a cesarean section is something women remember for a long time after the operation. For some, they go away in the maternity hospital, while for others they persist for months, or even years. What to do if such a negative situation affects you and how long does the stitch hurt after a cesarean section - 1 month, 2 months or more, what is considered normal?

Pain that appears in the first month after surgery may be associated with poor hygiene and excessive physical exertion. By the way, they need to be excluded for at least 1.5, and preferably 3, months after surgery, since this can lead to suture divergence. And if the suture hurts after a cesarean section during the second pregnancy, then this may be a long-term consequence of female recklessness. It is advisable for the first month to arm yourself with physical help from relatives around the house and child care.

Caring for sutures after a caesarean section is carried out by nurses in the maternity hospital. A course of antibiotic therapy is also carried out there to prevent the inflammatory process. And a woman is discharged only if the stitch is in good condition. But why does the stitch hurt after a cesarean section? There can be many reasons.

1. Poor-quality suture material that has not completely dissolved (in most cases, a cosmetic suture is applied during delivery surgery). This often happens if the inner seam is made using silk threads. If the threads have dissolved, and this should happen within 1-1.5 months, the suture on the uterus after a cesarean section should not hurt. If the thread remains, the woman shows signs of inflammation. Scientifically, this is called a ligature abscess. It causes a painful swelling with pus. This pus must be removed. A thread is usually found in the center of the abscess. The surgeon removes it and cleans the wound. Then you need to take antibiotics for several days. Usually all this happens in a hospital setting. You need to stay in the hospital for several days, as complications after the procedure are possible and rehabilitation is necessary.

2. If the internal suture hurts after a cesarean section, then the cause may be an adhesive process in the pelvic area. Some doctors who suspect this pathology in their patient prescribe an MRI to confirm it. But in this case, laparoscopy will be more informative. This way the doctor can see the adhesions with his own eyes and cut them. Thus, the patient will not experience pain in the future, and reproductive function will not be affected. After all, adhesions are the most common cause of ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Intestinal obstruction can also be a consequence. Can the suture hurt 6 months, a year, 2 years after a cesarean section? Yes, if the problem is the adhesive process.

3. Problems with gynecology. Sometimes such unpleasant sensations are not at all associated with the presence of a suture on the uterus. Painful sensations can be associated with inflammation of the uterus - endometritis, inflammation of the ovaries - adnexitis. And sometimes pathologies of the urinary system. A gynecologist will be able to accurately answer the question of where and what hurts after an examination in a gynecological chair. He will answer the question - the suture hurts and is inflamed after a cesarean section, what to do, or give a direction for additional studies, for example, an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, a urine test, a vaginal smear, if he believes that it is not the suture that is causing the pain.

4. The seam has come apart. This often happens during physical activity that is contraindicated in the first weeks after surgery. What should I do if, after a planned cesarean section, the suture hurts a lot due to its divergence? You should not do anything on your own. You need to contact a surgeon who will clean the wound. There will be no re-suturing. But they will probably prescribe antibiotic therapy. As a rule, the sutures come apart in the first days after surgery. If possible, stay in the hospital for 7-10 days after surgery. Do not rush to be discharged, because if problems arise after discharge, you and your child will not be returned to the maternity hospital. And you will have to lie without a child in the surgery department.

Here are just a small part of the reasons why sutures hurt after surgical childbirth. Only a doctor who examines and palpates the suture can determine the specific cause for your case. Trying to find the cause of pain on your own, with the help of virtual consultations with doctors, is futile.

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Childbirth itself is a very complex process, and many women are increasingly giving birth by caesarean section. However, after this operation, many experience discomfort in the damaged area.

Natural pain after cesarean section

Some time after a surgical birth, a woman begins to be tormented by the question of how long the suture will hurt after a cesarean section and why it hurts.

Naturally, the stitch from a caesarean section hurts at first. Usually, the suture after a cesarean section begins to hurt almost as soon as the effect of the painkiller wears off. This pain is usually caused by the fact that during the operation both the skin and some internal organs were damaged.

The period during which the suture hurts after a cesarean section is different for each woman, as this is influenced by 2 factors:

The professionalism of the operating surgeon and the type of incision.
Individual characteristics of the patient.

So, for a woman with a high pain threshold, a suture after a cesarean section will not cause severe discomfort, while a woman who is sensitive to pain will be constantly disturbed by the suture. It also matters whether it has been done before or whether this is the first time.

How does the type of incision affect pain?

As mentioned above, the incision affects how much and how much the stitch hurts after a cesarean section. There are 3 types of incision for caesarean section:

Vertical cut. Such an incision is made in special cases when there is a danger to the life of either the fetus or the woman. It is done from the navel to the pubic area. The scar from such an incision is very noticeable. In addition, after the procedure, such a suture takes a long time to heal and hurts for several months.
Horizontal cut. This incision is made during a planned caesarean section. It is done just above the pubis and is small in size. Thanks to this, the seam is almost invisible and does not cause severe pain.
Interior. For horizontal and vertical incisions during cesarean section, internal sutures are placed in different ways. Basically, the surgeon applies a suture, taking into account how to minimize blood loss and not cause any complications. So, the surgeon can apply either transverse or longitudinal sutures.

Based on the above, how long it will take for a suture to heal after a cesarean section largely depends on the situation in which the cesarean section is performed and on the professionalism of the operating surgeon. A caesarean section is a complex operation that has a serious impact on the body.

Other reasons why the suture after a cesarean section may hurt

Many women after a cesarean section wondered why the stitch hurt. The causes of pain after cesarean section can be different, the main ones are listed below:

The operated area will be disturbing at first, since after the fetus is removed, the uterus contracts. Therefore, at first there will be pain in the pelvic area in the form of tingling. And many people confuse this pain with the pain caused by a suture. However, this pain is different in that it causes the greatest discomfort while feeding the baby. For those women who, this pain is slightly less than for those who gave birth with surgical assistance.
In addition, pain can occur from excess gases in the intestines. So, due to a failure of peristalsis in the body and the release of feces, pressure occurs on the internal organs, which causes pain.
In some cases, the suture may hurt due to some complications. Most often, a complication occurs due to inflammation of the uterus, which turns out to be associated with endogenous sutures. This complication has a name - endometritis. In addition to pain at the site of the suture, pain occurs in the pelvic region, and this is also accompanied by the release of a foul odor and a sharp increase in body temperature. Doctors recommend taking this ailment seriously and, if such symptoms are detected, immediately contact a specialist. Ignoring this complication can lead to serious consequences, in some cases even death.
In addition, pain in the damaged area after cesarean section often occurs due to divergence of the applied suture. Most often this occurs due to improper treatment of the damaged area or due to infection. In this case, it is best to contact a specialist who will either prescribe antibacterial drugs or eliminate the problem surgically.
The suture often hurts after a cesarean section due to the formation of adhesions. Most often, adhesions do not disappear on their own, and therefore this problem can only be eliminated surgically.
It is extremely rare that ailments occur due to damage or interaction of the nerve ending with the suture. This ailment cannot be eliminated, so in this case, medications are simply prescribed to reduce pain.

If discomfort occurs in the damaged area, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor, since self-selected painkillers have a negative impact on the child’s health. Usually, when complications occur, ointments are prescribed, as they have less impact.

If the suture takes a long time to heal, then you can use drugs such as Ergotal, Dinoprost and Demoxytocin.

How to avoid complications

In order to avoid any complications after medical intervention, the mother must be provided with good care. It is also recommended to follow the rules described below:

First of all, it is important to change dressings correctly and on time. Use only clean materials, and initially treat the damaged area with brilliant green.
Constant bed rest is not recommended. Even if a woman in labor experiences discomfort when moving, she needs to take a walk from time to time.
When the wound heals, you can carry out water procedures, however, you should not rub the damaged area with a washcloth; it is advisable not to exert physical influence on it at all at first.
It is recommended to wear clothes that do not tighten the body, but stay loose. It is also recommended to give preference to cotton fabrics.
A certain diet must be followed. So, the diet should include foods that are sufficiently saturated with essential vitamins and beneficial compounds. And in particular, it is recommended to give preference to products that are rich in vitamin E, as it has a positive effect on the rate of tissue regeneration. Therefore, it can also be used outside. Primrose oil has the same effect and can also be applied to the wound.
Naturally, lifting heavy objects is prohibited, as the seam may open again. It is recommended to begin sexual activity only after 12-17 days.

Proper care at first has a significant impact on the speed of wound healing. If all recommendations are followed, the stitch will heal quickly and will not cause discomfort.

More and more women are deciding to undergo this operation, so today it is very well established. And unforeseen situations arise extremely rarely, but they still occur. In addition, the operation has an impact on the condition of the body. Thus, pain during the recovery of the body after a cesarean section will be more pronounced than during natural childbirth. So, this procedure is recommended only for women who are not able to give birth naturally.

Are natural. Therefore, these ailments should not be a reason for concern about why the suture hurts after a cesarean section. If ailments occur only at a certain time or are too painful, then it is recommended to consult a specialist. You should not treat yourself or take medications on your own; complications can be very serious.