How to cope with hip pain after childbirth?

How to check the condition of your intimate muscles

The postpartum period is accompanied by a lot of new sensations and worries, and one of the frequently worrying questions is how to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth.
Weakened muscles deprive the woman of pleasure from sexual intercourse, a woman develops self-doubt and develops phobias. Weakened pelvic muscles can cause organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and other problems. Self-diagnosis of the condition of the intimate muscles comes down to checking for the presence of the following symptoms:

• vaginal dryness;
• pain during sexual intercourse;
• decreased sensitivity;
• microflora disturbance;
• constant discomfort in the lower abdomen;
• feeling of vaginal stretching;
• difficulty or frequent urination, urinary incontinence;
• uterine prolapse.

If two or more symptoms occur, this may indicate weakening of the pelvic floor muscles. In this case, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe treatment and tell you how to tighten your muscles without surgery.

Why does the tailbone hurt after childbirth?

Pain in the coccyx (scientifically called “coccydynia”) is normal and usually goes away within 3 weeks. But there are times when the pain does not go away for months. Then it’s worth starting to understand the causes of coccydynia and how to eliminate it. If you don't deal with the problem, it won't go away, but will get worse over time. Ultimately, its development can lead to disastrous consequences.

Causes of pain in the tailbone

Very often, pain in the tailbone is attributed to the difficult nature of childbirth. Doctors do not attach any importance to such pain, and mother and child go home.

The cause of coccydynia lies in the process of childbirth itself, when the position of the coccyx changes, it extends due to the divergence of the pubic bones. This device allows the baby to safely pass through the birth canal. Naturally, after such changes, discomfort will appear in this area. The reasons may also be the following:

• sprain of the ligaments
  adjacent to the coccygeal bone;
• pinched nerve endings in the sacrum or coccyx area;
• dislocation or displacement of the coccygeal bone during the birth of a large baby;
• physiological displacement of the pelvic bones.

Only a specialist can accurately indicate the cause of the pain.

Diagnosis of coccydynia

The pain can be of various types: dull, aching, burning, constant or intermittent, acute. Discomfort can be felt in the gluteal muscles, anus, perineum, thighs, legs, rectum and intensifies during bowel movements, sexual intercourse, when a woman sits for a long time or stands up suddenly.

Other symptoms of coccydynia may include:

• loss of sensitivity of the coccygeal bone;
• swelling or hematoma in the bone area;
• discomfort when walking faster;
• painful sensations in the leg from the side of the damaged bone.

Often, pain in the tailbone goes away over time without outside intervention. This happens if the injury is minor. With more serious injuries, the vertebrae do not fall into place on their own, causing the ligaments to become overstrained and the pain to intensify. In this case, you need to seek help from a specialist. The following symptoms should prompt you to do this:

• pain does not stop for 2-3 weeks;
• discomfort is felt in the muscles of the buttocks;
• stretching is felt in the symphysis pubis;
• pain extends to the sciatic nerve.

The doctor may prescribe manual therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs that will be safe for the baby, because... During this period, breastfeeding usually continues. In some of the most severe cases, surgery may be prescribed.

Treatment of coccydynia, which can be prescribed by a specialist

Usually, ultrasound and electrotherapy and paraffin baths are prescribed for the treatment of coccydynia. For severe pain, painkillers and ointments can be used, as well as massages, which should be alternated with manual therapy. Sometimes bed rest and sitting on a special pillow are recommended. In rare cases, the doctor may prescribe treatment with leeches and hirudotherapy. Troxevasin ointment is often prescribed. Also, according to doctors, warming compresses have a healing effect. In some cases, wearing a special bandage is prescribed.

If conservative treatment is not effective, a specialist may decide on surgical intervention.

Treatment of coccydynia at home

If experts believe that there are no serious injuries or pathologies, then you can reduce pain at home by using the following measures:

• gymnastics classes on a hopper ball;
• restorative activities;
• abstaining from heavy lifting;
• sleep on an orthopedic mattress of medium hardness;
• refusal to sit on soft cushions;
• more rest;
• using ice packs in the first week to relieve swelling;
• increasing the amount of foods high in magnesium, fiber and calcium in the diet;
• drinking large amounts of water;
• sitting on special pillows or rolled towels.

Treatment of coccydynia with folk remedies

Traditional medicine, in turn, also offers several methods for treating pain in the tailbone:

1. The use of irritating tinctures based on hot pepper or lilac infusion based on alcohol. Gauze should be soaked in the tincture and squeezed lightly. Apply to the place where pain is felt and wrap in film for 2 hours.
2. Taking baths with geranium decoction. 4 teaspoons of geranium are added to 4 cups of boiling water and placed on low heat for 10 minutes. Let the resulting broth stand for 30 minutes, strain and add to the bath.
3. Compresses with the same geranium decoction. We apply gauze soaked in the broth to the area in which pain is felt, wrap it in film and cover with a warm towel or scarf. Apply compresses every day until the discomfort goes away.
4. In addition to the geranium compress, an application of valerian infusion helps. The principle of applying a compress is the same as described above.
5. Fir oil, which should be rubbed into the affected area 3 times daily, will help relieve pain and eliminate the inflammatory process.
6. Rubbing a mixture of vinegar and honey in proportions of 1 to 2 can also help.
7. Sometimes an iodine mesh won't hurt either.

Preventive measures

Childbirth is a huge stress for the female body. After them, women in labor feel weak, and their strength is not quickly restored. To reduce discomfort and prevent pain that may occur after childbirth, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• spend more time lying down;
• reduce the amount of physical activity;
• do Kegel exercises while standing, sitting, or walking to strengthen the pelvic muscles;
• eat more foods high in calcium;
• drink more fluids.

Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr

Ways to restore pelvic floor muscle tone

You can eliminate weakness of the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth in one of three ways:

1. Drug therapy that is prescribed to treat diseases that cause muscle weakening.
2. Surgical. Surgery is prescribed only in severe cases. Disadvantages: long rehabilitation period, high risk of complications.
3. Kegel exercises are effective exercises after childbirth to strengthen the pelvic floor. Can be performed at any age. With regular and correct exercises, the effect will not take long to appear.

Benefits of training

Exercises for the pelvic floor after childbirth are aimed at increasing elasticity and muscle tone. Through regular training, it is possible to narrow the vagina and restore its ribbing, return vivid emotions from intimate relationships and achieve orgasm. Considering that the vaginal muscles are involved in supporting the pelvic organs, strengthening them will prevent uterine prolapse - a common problem that appears after difficult childbirth and with age.

Trained muscles reduce the risk of inflammation of the genitourinary organs, the development of thrush, cystitis and other pathologies. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles reduces your chances of being diagnosed with incontinence.

In addition to the above, strengthening the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth preserves youth and health due to improved blood circulation and delay of menopause. If you start exercising before birth, the process of bringing a child into the world will be easier and faster, with virtually no interruptions.

Diagnostics

The disease can be suspected if there are relevant patient complaints and medical history. To confirm the diagnosis, a number of examinations are carried out, which include:

• Ultrasound - adhesions in the pelvis are detected in the form of heterogeneous echo signals;
• Hysterosalpingography and hysterosalpingoscopy - performed to assess tubal involvement;
• MRI of the pelvic organs;
• Diagnostic laparoscopy is effective for visualizing adhesions between organs.

To identify the causes of adhesions, laboratory tests may be prescribed: determination of flora, STIs, PCR diagnostics, etc.

Contraindications for performing exercises

Kegel exercises for the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth are considered practically harmless, but there are temporary contraindications, such as the presence of tears and sutures. Until the wounds heal, you should not strain the perineum. You can focus on painful sensations, and if they appear, classes should be postponed. Therefore, it is worth consulting with a gynecologist before starting training.

In some cases, gymnastics of the intimate muscles is strongly discouraged. These are health problems such as:

• exacerbation of heart and vascular diseases;
• bleeding;
• colds;
• perineal injuries;
• tumor processes;
• infections, inflammation in the pelvic organs.

Training aimed at restoring the pelvic floor requires time and effort. As with other sports activities, you should refrain from any activity while feeling unwell. The body needs strength to fight diseases, so it is not worth forcing it to spend resources on strengthening intimate muscles.

Symptoms

Conduct an initial diagnosis of your problems:

1. With inflammation, the pain is burning. It is not clearly localized and can spread to nearby tissues. The joint may turn red and if you touch it, you will feel a rise in temperature.
2. Nagging pain occurs when the joint has not yet recovered from the injury. Or if the fabric is subject to constant minor damage.
3. Constant fatigue also causes pain in the muscles. Mainly in the lumbar and femoral region. Your knee may ache if, say, you were lifting a stroller up the stairs.
4. When a nerve is pinched, the pain is stabbing. They begin in the lower back and radiate to the pelvis and legs. A concomitant manifestation of radicular syndrome is muscle spasm.
5. With inflammation of the female organs, it may seem that the joints hurt. Gynecological problems can be understood by painful urination, discomfort of the genital organs, and pain in the lower abdomen.

When can and should you start doing Kegel exercises?

It is advisable to train intimate muscles from youth, but if you don’t have the time or desire, you can start doing gymnastics at any time. After childbirth, it is especially important to first consult a gynecologist. Exercises should begin when:

• fecal incontinence;
• Urge incontinence (manifests itself in a strong urge and inability to control urination);
• drip of urine from coughing, physical activity.

It’s good to start exercising during pregnancy if there are no contraindications and the pregnancy process proceeds without complications. After childbirth, gymnastics will quickly return the vaginal muscles to their previous state.

You can start training 2-3 days after giving birth, if the process went without complications, tears or stitches. The mother’s excellent health and the doctor’s permission are the main conditions for starting classes.

If the birth was difficult, the woman has tears and stitches in the perineum, pain and bleeding are bothering her, you can think about gymnastics no earlier than two weeks later, when the condition returns to normal. If, after this period, blood is released from the vagina during gymnastics, the exercises are stopped until the doctor gives permission.

Even if the condition is excellent, you should not overload the muscles. Start with a small number of repetitions, daily or once every couple of days, increasing the training time and frequency of repetitions.

Technique for performing basic exercises

Before you train your pelvic floor muscles after childbirth, you should determine exactly where they are located. To do this, you need to stop the process of urination and remember where the contraction was felt in the perineum. This is the necessary muscle. All you have to do is set aside time for exercise, empty your bladder before starting the workout and lie on your back.

Gymnastics involves performing the following sequence of actions:

1. Tighten your muscles as if you need to hold urination, hold for 5 seconds and relax. Repeat 5 times.
2. Contract and relax the vaginal muscles at the fastest pace. Repeat 100 times.
3. Slowly squeeze the vagina, trying to feel every part of it. Having reached the greatest tension, slowly relax. Taking breaks, repeat 15 times.

If after a couple of months gymnastics does not have any effect if performed correctly, the doctor may prescribe physical therapy and other methods.