? for c-section moms re: back pain

[LoveBWVVBR]

If you've had a c-section, did (or do) you suffer from back pain afterwards? I've had horrendous back pain (mostly lower back pain) since my DD was born over a year ago. I really didn't have back pain while pregnant, I'm not carrying any extra weight, etc. The only thing that I can think of is that it was the c-section and/or the epidural that they gave me beforehand that somehow did it. I know that the stomach muscles never go back to what they were after a c-section

Am I alone in this? I'm fine during the daytime, but during the night I wake up so many times in terrible pain. This is every night, not once in a while. I've been seeing a chiropractor regularly for nearly a year. It helps right after the adjustment, but within a day my back muscles are back to a terrible burning pain at night. I don't want to take medication because #1) my DD still nurses and #2) I just don't like taking medication if I don't absolutely have to. I didn't even fill the pain perscription after my c-section.

I've never had back pain before in my life. It's affecting my sleep and I'm terrified of TTC baby #2 (which we really want) because I don't know how my back would handle it. Is this from the c-section and is there a "cure" My own primary care Dr. didn't have much help to offer, and I don't know what else to do at this point.

 

[ZuZugal]

I've had 3 C's and never had the trouble you are talking about. It's hard enough getting your abdomen back to "normal", so I cannot imagine back pain as well. Maybe it's time to see a specialist. Is there someone that your primary care physician can recommend?
So sorry you're going thru this...any type of constant pain is awful.

 

[Growin'upDisney]

I had a c-sec in Nov 2005 and I didn't notice and specific back pain due to the surgery itself. Could it be your now picking up and carrying an infant/toddler that has you in pain? I do know that when I hold her for too long I start to get uncomfy. Also, is your positioning good for BF'ing? I tended to hunch over and it would feel weird until I recognized I wan't sitting up straight.

Do you have a good mattress? Maybe your body is just more sensitive since having DD and a new mattress could help. Or try pillows.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I've had 3 C's and never had the trouble you are talking about. It's hard enough getting your abdomen back to "normal", so I cannot imagine back pain as well. Maybe it's time to see a specialist. Is there someone that your primary care physician can recommend?
So sorry you're going thru this...any type of constant pain is awful.

I'm not sure. He didn't offer the suggestion of seeing a specialist, and I guess I wouldn't even know what kind of Dr. to go see Other than a chiropractor, is there even a kind of Dr. that specializes in back pain issues?

My DH thinks that this is related to the epidural and not the c-section. I wonder if he's right because the pain all radiates from one spot. My chiropractor said that my back muscles are very knotted up. Again, I have no idea why that would be I've never had back pain before. It seems like I got knocked out for a c-section and I woke up to a new life of constant back pain at night

 

[mickeyboat]

I googled, and didn't find anything that suggests that the epidural or c-section as the cause of back pain. But I did find something that mentioned that you are probably lifting your growing baby 50 times a day, and that you should be careful about how you lift. I wonder if that is the cause.

I did read a study which showed no significant correlation between back pain and an epidural, however, there are always exceptions.

I hope you get some relief soon.

Denae

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I had a c-sec in Nov 2005 and I didn't notice and specific back pain due to the surgery itself. Could it be your now picking up and carrying an infant/toddler that has you in pain? I do know that when I hold her for too long I start to get uncomfy. Also, is your positioning good for BF'ing? I tended to hunch over and it would feel weird until I recognized I wan't sitting up straight.

Do you have a good mattress? Maybe your body is just more sensitive since having DD and a new mattress could help. Or try pillows.

My DD is long and heavy, so I've always just nursed her lying down. I couldn't hold her and nurse her after the first few weeks. I also thought that the back pain might have been related to picking her up and carrying her, but the pain didn't abate one bit when she because mobile and didn't require much picking up/carrying.

I wonder if a new mattress would help. I'm taking any and all suggestions for a mattress that could help me. I'm really starting to feel desperate at this point. Sometimes it hurts sooo much that I have a very hard time even moving at night. It's the most bizarre thing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I haven't had a c-section..but I had back pain between my first and second. I think it was caused and fixed by the epidural. It was very odd--something I had after the first baby that completely disappeared once the second baby was delivered.

You might consult a PT...is the pain near your sacrum at all? It could be that you MIGHT need a release of your Psoas muscle. I had that problem independent of the kiddos. One PT couldn't figure it out, I switched and boy did they find that to be the problem. It took several weeks of it being released before it finally settled down...each time took less time for it to become untight.

The other thing i had to do was strengthen all of my core muscles. While I didn't get washboard abs...it made a difference. It was determined that I kept my ab muscles too relaxed for 2 pregnancies and then in training for a marathon my back just said ENOUGH! So I guess my issues were pregnancy related. The other diagnosis was my sacrum was tipped and "stuff" on teh right side with different bones and joints was torqued. Chiro would not have been able to fix that alone unfortunately.

(Just a suggestion as I am not scholar of anatomy--just another avenue of consideration when it comes to low back pain. FYI--the psoas muscle is part of the spine/back...but the access is in a weird way through your abdomen area. If that is the culprit--it will hurt like heck when it is worked..but hwen you feel the release--the pain disappears. Hard to describe....just an FYI though.)

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I'm not exactly sure where the sacrum is, but the pain seems to radiate from one spot on the lower back. I'd be thrilled if a PT found that some muscle just needed to be released. I've thought of seeing a PT before, but everyone that I talked to said that a good chiro was who I needed to see. I think that my chiro helps somewhat, but obviously I'm still in total pain at night.

Was your pain all the time or just at night? Also, when you got the epidural with the second child, did the pain just go away and never come back? That would be the greatest thing ever. It makes me want to run right out and get an epidural right now, LOL!

 

[j's m]

I had an epidural with a c-section and absolutely no back pain.

My DH had surgery with an epidural and was in more pain in his back than the surgery site. He's not usually a baby about pain, but did complain for at least a year that the anesthesiologist screwed something up when he inserted the needle.

Hope the pain goes away soon.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Here's some info on the psoas muscle..they did the pressure thing on me...and i would imagine that the pain is similar to going through a contraction..it hurts that bad.


The sacrum is the triangular shaped bone at the base of your spine, above the tailbone...and it is the "flat space" at the top of the ummm...line in your tushy

My initial backpain when all this went haywire (even though the cause was pregnancies that weakend my core...it was a while before it went ballistic)---was all over my low back. It was soo hot and it even swelled.

Now when it is acting up--it is just in the sacral area....and if I let it fester for too long, it will involve all the muscles.


If you opt for the PT route--you need someone who is EXCELLENT in the use of manual therapy. Not someone who will just give you strengthening exercises. You need the biomechanics of your low back all checked out. Without it--I would have NEVER been diagnosed. My first PT was allegedly good at manual therapy but she was unfortunately unable to do a proper diagnosis in order to treat...and the strengthening exercises were causing more harm than good.

ETA: forgot my link: http://www.logan.edu/faculty/rpvstl/psoas.html

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm not exactly sure where the sacrum is, but the pain seems to radiate from one spot on the lower back. I'd be thrilled if a PT found that some muscle just needed to be released. I've thought of seeing a PT before, but everyone that I talked to said that a good chiro was who I needed to see. I think that my chiro helps somewhat, but obviously I'm still in total pain at night.

Was your pain all the time or just at night? Also, when you got the epidural with the second child, did the pain just go away and never come back? That would be the greatest thing ever. It makes me want to run right out and get an epidural right now, LOL!

Chiros have their place--but you need to know when to use them...sometimes you need more than just a casual adjustment.

As for me--the pain between epi one and epi 2 was in one spot in my back. It was annoying..but I never did anything about it.

The REAL problem didn't occur until about 18 months post partum on a 20 mile run during marathon training...the cumulative affects of a weak core and twisting and torquing of my bones from the pregnancy had had enough. The pain was ongoing (Though disappeared miracously for me to do a marathon back-pain free only 4 weeks after this monster flair up).

The second PT fixed it--though the adjustments were not keeping--then I purchased a sacro-wedgy (funny name I know) and that helped the adjustments and releases to "stick". I'm so far gone now that my sacrowedgy is useless right now....I cannot wait to see my PT post partum so I can have the psoas released.

 

[mrsv98]

From personal experience, I had a lot of back trouble after DD was born. I am not sure of it was the c-section or a combination of factors but I was in a lot of pain. Finally, I asked my GP for physical therepy which he happily agreed to. I have about 8 months of weekly therepy, come in the gym but much of it in the water. It has made a tremendous difference. My back is much better and the only time it gets tired and sore is if I really overdo it.

My PT said that many women have weak ab muscles after a c-section and then their pelvis gets out of alignment. I worked on exercises that stablized and strengthened those muscles. I also learned how to keep myself from twisting too much which was a trigger for me. Interestingly enough, vacuuming and cutting the grass are the worst for me. I still do them, but concentrate on keeping myself aligned and that helps.

See if you can get some PT, it can only help and might just aliviate your discomfort.