It’s no secret that childbirth takes a toll on your body, especially in the pelvic area. Studies show that 23% to 65% of women experience pelvic pain after birth. And while most women know that the pain doesn’t completely go away after they give birth, many don’t know exactly why they’re still feeling it or what they can do to ease pelvic pain after birth.
Common causes of pelvic pain after birth
There are many possible causes of pelvic pain after birth, but it is not always clear what’s causing it. Common causes include:
- Pelvic floor dysfunction — Your pelvic floor muscles can become weak or damaged during pregnancy and childbirth, which can cause pelvic pain, incontinence and other issues. Strengthening these muscles — usually with exercise and physical therapy — can help alleviate the pain.
- Infection — If you have an infection in your uterus or bladder, you may experience pain in your pelvis. This can be treated with antibiotics.
- C-section scarring — Let your doctor know if you had a C-section and you’re still experiencing pain months later. There could be scar tissue or adhesions that need to be removed through surgery.
3 benefits of physical therapy for post-birth pelvic pain
Physical therapy may be the solution to alleviating pelvic pain after birth. If you’re looking for an effective way to manage your post-birth pelvic pain, here are three benefits of physical therapy:
- Strengthening your muscles — By visiting a physical therapist, you can take steps to strengthen your muscles and alleviate post-birth pain. Your physical therapist will work with you to create a customized treatment plan that helps you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
- Reducing the likelihood of future problems — Physical therapy doesn’t only help with the current symptoms of your condition; the exercises can also help prevent future pelvic issues from occurring. Your physical therapist will work with you on pelvic floor muscle exercises to strengthen your muscles and help reduce the risk of future injuries or conditions.
- It increases mobility — Women who’ve recently given birth may have difficulty walking or climbing stairs because of pelvic floor muscle weakness or damage to the muscles and ligaments surrounding their hips. A physical therapist can show them how to move in ways that minimize pain, so they don’t have to stop doing the activities they love for long.
Back in Motion Physical Therapy offers treatment for pelvic pain after birth
Fed up with feeling post-birth pelvic pain every day? Our Back in Motion PT team offers therapeutic care that can help address your post-pregnancy pelvic pain. We’ll start by doing a free screening of you to determine the cause of your pain. Next, our physical therapists will construct a customized therapy program for you designed to reduce your pain and help prevent its return.
Don’t want to leave your home right now? You don’t have to! Our physical therapists can work with you in your own home via an at-home care or virtual therapy session.
Contact us today for more information about the pain-reducing services we offer or to schedule your initial appointment.