I had my first c/s 5.5 years ago and following the surgery (a few hours later) i had immense shoulder pain, couldn't use my arm and even had difficulty even pressing the buzzer to call the nurse.
Has this ever happened to anybody else and does anyone know why it happens?
I have a c/s tomorrow and am worried about it. I will discuss with midwives prior to the c/s but just wanted to know if anybody else experienced this too?
Hi Sehra, First of all goodluck tomorrow. With my first c/s I had a sharp pain that would run down my lower back down my leg. Didn't realise this until discharged from hospital and after all the drugs had worn off. Anyway, had to go to physio and they believed it had something to do with them moving me from one bed to another. Anyway still get it now, but not all the time, but at least every week. This was 4 1/2 yrs ago. Had a c/s the following year and had a pain down my leg again but this time they gave me injections. They were worried about DVT. With the first c/s tho they were worried as well because of the epidural.
Again best of luck tomorrow and let me know how it all went when you get out of hospital and how your baby is. Congrats in advance, and you will be fine. The second ceaser didn't hurt as much as the first if that is any consolation.
I read about the shoulder pain following a c/s...apparently it's air getting into the body during the procedure...which then causes a bit of an internal air pocket...the body then takes a little while to absorb the air...
Thanks for all the well wishes girls. And also a great big thanks re: the shoulder pain.
I feel relieved knowing that its a possible side effect from the surgery. Last time the midwives never gave me an explanation and i honestly thought that i was going to die from the pain and had even started to hyperventilate. I feel much better now.
Sorry this is a bit late (after you've had your c/s), but I experienced this too after my c/s. The OB and the physio said, as above, that it was air trapped in the abdominal cavity during surgery and that it would eventually be absorbed by the body. It was excruciating!! A heat pack helped, as did lying down flat until the pain abated. I had it intermittently for 2 days I think, but didn't feel the pain all the time, thank goodness.
hello, I was very relieved to read that the pain will go away at some point. i had an emergency c/s on the 7th of aug and have been having left shoulder pain sence. its so bad that i take tylenol 3 and ibu 6oo for the pain as needed. my dr said its just from holding baby to much but i was sure there was more to it. hoping it will end soon so i can truely enjoy playing with my new baby boy more.
Shoulder pain after CS is not uncommon. It is caused by a number of things air in the body as monnie said but a more common cause is known as referred pain. This is where one part of your body is injured but you feel the pain somewhere else. One example of this would be a heart attack where it is very common to feel pain in your arm. During a CS your internal organs do get bashed around a little and this bashing of your organs is a common cause of referred pain in your shoulder. The pain usually goes away within a few weeks.
Hi all, I had really bad shoulder pain after my last CS (no.3) and the midwife at the hospital gave me peppermint tea three times a day and it really did help. The tea combined with the hot packs got the pain to go after a couple of hours. Was absolute bliss after putting up with it for 2 days!!
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Shoulder pain following c/s
shoulder pain after c/s
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