Often moms ask, “Does anesthesia leave a back pain after-effect, why do I always have back pain?” In fact, after the epidural catheter is removed, some patients will have some localized dull pain at the puncture site, but like a normal intravenous needle eye, it usually only lasts for a few days as the tissue repairs. If it persists for several months after delivery, it is often not associated with epidural labor analgesia.
In the famous 2012 UK meta-analysis of three cumulative studies of 1806 women in labor, randomized to groups, comparing the incidence of low back pain in 913 women who did not use epidural labor analgesia, and 893 women who used epidural labor analgesia, the two groups – 361 (40%) and 337 (38%) patients with chronic low back pain – emerged, respectively. The study completely disproved the hypothesis that low back pain is associated with epidural analgesia. Moreover, it also made it known that the incidence of postpartum low back pain is around 40%.
The main causes of postpartum low back pain are as follows
1.Laxity of ligaments
In order to deliver the fetus smoothly, the ligaments connecting the pelvis of pregnant women become lax. In addition, the uterus that increases day by day makes the lumbar support force of pregnant women gradually increase, resulting in the laxity of the sacral ligament, which causes lumbago.
After delivery, the endocrine system changes and does not return to the pre-pregnancy state soon, the pelvic ligaments are still in a relaxed state for a period of time, and the abdominal muscles become weaker and weaker, so the uterus does not reset completely soon, causing back pain.
2.Birth is not too smooth
During the second stage of labor, the fetus is delivered in a special position and with desperate efforts for several hours, which adds a huge burden to the waist. After delivery, the mother often bends over to take care of the baby, take a bath, change diapers, hold the baby, etc., or poor drainage of malaria causes pelvic blood stasis, which can easily induce lumbar pain.
3.Long-term bed rest after childbirth
Many women are less active after childbirth, always lying or sitting in bed to recuperate; coupled with weight gain, the increase in abdominal fat, increasing the load on the lumbar muscles, resulting in lumbar muscle strain and lumbago.
4.Overworking after childbirth
After childbirth, do not pay attention to rest so that the body is overworked, or often long standing, squatting, sitting or girding too tight, etc., can lead to lumbar muscle strain, inducing lumbago. Take improper posture to breastfeed, so that the lumbar muscles are always in a state of non-relaxation, and the lumbar muscles are damaged.
5.Change in the position of the uterus
The normal position of the uterus is forward leaning and forward flexion, if prolapse of the uterus occurs, it will be displaced downward along the vagina, causing lumbar pain. In addition, maternity is very prone to calcium deficiency, careless living, lumbar disc protrusion and other physiological changes during pregnancy, postural changes, position during childbirth, problems related to the puerperium can cause low back pain.
How to do about postpartum lumbago?
1.Pay attention to prenatal prevention
Reasonable diet, to avoid too obese and increase the burden of the waist, resulting in damage to the lumbar muscles and ligaments. And too big fetus can cause many difficulties and even complications to the mother’s delivery. Weight control has also become an important part of preventing birth injuries.
2.Pay attention to body position before and after delivery
After delivery, keep enough sleep, change bed position frequently, avoid frequent bending, standing for a long time, avoid too much force, do not run too early, walk far, so as not to cause back pain caused by posterior position of the uterus or uterine prolapse.
3.Appropriate calcium supplementation during the perinatal period
Drink more milk, eat more calcium-rich foods such as sesame seeds, and get more sunlight to promote calcium absorption. While preventing back pain, it also provides enough calcium for the fetal baby.
If low back pain occurs and proper lumbar massage and cannot be relieved, you should go to the hospital promptly. The Women’s Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation Center will provide rehabilitation treatment for postpartum low back pain.