What is postpartum vulvar pain?

Almost every mother has to go through a heart-wrenching process when giving birth, but she feels very happy when she sees her cute baby. Many mothers will experience uncomfortable symptoms during the confinement period, the most common of which are abdominal pain and genital pain. In fact, there are many reasons for genital pain, such as perineal laceration, edema, excessive abdominal pressure, etc. Some mothers experience pain due to infection caused by improper care, which is explained in detail below.

Several manifestations of postpartum vaginal pain

Perineal laceration

If the perineum is not properly protected during delivery, or the fetus is large, the perineum will be stretched and suffer varying degrees of lacerations during natural delivery. Since the perineum is rich in nerves, even a small wound can cause intense distension and pain.

Perineal edema

During childbirth, when the fetal head leaves the mother's body, it presses on the perineum for too long, causing perineal edema and local swelling and pain.

Episiotomy wound pain

If a woman undergoes an episiotomy during childbirth, a wound will form in the perineum, causing pain; if the blood vessels are not firmly ligated when the perineal wound is sutured, it will also cause a feeling of distension and pain.

Perineal wound hematoma

Bleeding from the perineal wound forms a hematoma, or the intestinal cord of the wound is not absorbed, and the fibrous tissue of the wound proliferates, causing a nodule, which will cause unabsorbed distension and pain or nodular distension and pain after delivery.

High abdominal pressure

If a woman holds her breath too hard during childbirth, it will cause excessive pressure in the abdominal cavity, causing hemorrhoids to prolapse and swell, and may also cause perineal pain.

Perineal abscess formation

If the perineal wound is not properly cared for, abscesses, pain, nodules will occur, and pus and blood secretions will appear when squeezed, the perineum will feel swollen and painful. The swelling and pain are particularly obvious when the abscess is immature.

What is postpartum vulvar pain?

The main causes of vaginal pain after childbirth are:

Some women who have a normal vaginal delivery will feel a little pain from the vagina to the rectum after delivery. This is because the vagina stretches as much as possible when the baby is born, so the muscle tissue may swell.

In addition, if an episiotomy is performed during delivery, the pain will be more severe after delivery. In particular, the muscle tissue of mothers who undergo vacuum extraction and forceps delivery will suffer greater damage.

How to relieve postpartum vulvar pain

1. Taking a warm bath is very effective in relieving this type of pain. Generally, the nurse in the hospital will tell you how to do it. You can also try to wrap crushed ice in gauze and apply it to the uncomfortable area. This will make the mother feel more comfortable and is very helpful for recovery.

2. If the pain is severe and requires medication, do not hesitate, be sure to consult a doctor and use some mild painkillers under the doctor's guidance.

3. When sitting down, it is best to choose a soft place to relieve muscle tension in the painful area; do exercises that promote the recovery of genital tissue to speed up blood circulation and restore damaged tissue as soon as possible. The method is to tighten the vagina and anus for 8-10 seconds, then slowly relax the muscles and continue to relax for a few seconds, then repeat it, at least 25 times a day. If you persist in doing it for a long time, it will help you restore your figure.

After the editor’s analysis, everyone should know why everyone experiences genital pain after childbirth. This is a very common phenomenon and it will get better after you take a break. During this period, the mother should try to rest in bed for the first few days of confinement, strengthen nutritional supplements, and pay attention to keeping warm.