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Category: C-Section Pain

  • 30 Internal Scarring Facts for National Self-Check Month

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    February is National Self-Check Month. Internal scarring (adhesions) in your pelvic region can occur throughout your life due to surgeries, accidents, and even natural wear and tear. This self-check month is meant for you to implement preventative health measures. These can include making better dietary choices, performing self-examinations, or going to a wellness visit with your physician to seek early treatment for symptoms associated with health problems. 

    What questions should you ask your physician during your wellness visit? Depending on what issues need to be resolved, physical therapy may be the treatment you need, particularly if you are experiencing illness, pain, and other health problems caused by adhesions. 

    How can you know if you have adhesion-related health problems? This article offers answers to these and other questions and makes a case for why you should ask your physician about physical therapy for adhesion-related conditions. 

    National Self-Check Month at Clear Passage®

    National Self-Check Month raises awareness about the importance of taking proactive steps to prevent health problems and addressing existing health problems. One might imagine that preventing or addressing health problems would be easy, yet people avoid seeking medical care for many reasons. They may:

    • Feel that they are too busy.
    • Worry about the costs associated with care.
    • Have unfavorable opinions about health care providers, or;
    • Assume that symptoms will eventually improve without intervention. 

    No matter what it is, the truth is that avoiding medical care is not a good idea. 

    Lack of treatment, at best, can result in avoidable discomfort or suffering, and at worst, can result in late detection and treatment of a disease with severe or potentially deadly consequences. 

    Suppose you are experiencing illness, pain, or other health problems. In that case, it is crucial to advocate for yourself by seeking early treatment, not just any therapy, but customized solutions that are most likely to provide the best results. Doing so can result in the restoration of your body to its best possible condition or even complete relief and healing.

    7 Questions You Should Ask Your Physician

    During your wellness visit, your physician will review your family history of illness, your medical records, and vital signs, and perform an exam. Explain to your physician what habits you have regarding diet and exercise, sleep, and stress management. 

    Refer to this list of questions to help you get valuable feedback from your physician during your wellness visit. Be sure to jot down additional questions that come to mind as you continue reading this article.

    1. Based on your observations about my appearance, vital signs, and weight, what is your initial impression of my health?
      1. Ask for an explanation of your blood work results or other diagnostic test results, if available.
    2. Do you have any suggestions regarding my health habits?
    3. Am I prone to certain health risks based on my family history? 
    4. Should I continue taking medications? Should the dosages be adjusted?
    5. Make a list of specific pains or other symptoms you may have experienced. Go through the list with your physician. Ask after each item, “Is this normal?”
    6. What treatment options are available for (fill in the blank)?
    7. Would I benefit from physical therapy for (fill in the blank)?

    Surgery and/or Medication vs. Wurn Technique®’s Physical  Therapy

    Although surgery and medication play a vital part in healthcare, they come with risks and a long list of potential side effects. On the other hand, Physical therapy can provide effective, long-lasting results without the risks and side effects, especially for adhesion-related problems.

    Demonstrated Positive Results With Physical Therapy

    Studies from major medical journals, available from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), demonstrate the results of physical therapy using the Clear Passage® Approach®. This non-surgical treatment utilizes the Wurn (hands-on) adhesion release techniques for various conditions caused or exacerbated by adhesions. This landmark 10-year study and many others demonstrated how this specialized, hands-on physical therapy yielded pregnancy rates for women with PCOS, small bowel obstruction (SBO), and at rates similar to standard medical treatments but without surgery or pharmaceuticals. 

    A Deeper Look: What are Adhesions? 

    What are adhesions? Adhesions are a type of scar tissue that forms inside the body after an accident, fall, surgery, infection, inflammation, trauma, radiation therapy, or endometriosis. Since surgery to treat adhesions can cause more adhesions, it makes perfect sense to treat adhesions with physical therapy rather than surgery.

    Many people associate physical therapy with treatment for injuries or range-of-motion issues, and rightly so, because physicians readily prescribe physical therapy for those problems. But did you know that physical therapy can also effectively treat symptoms associated with a wide variety of diseases and conditions? 

    Clients with these ailments have found improvement and relief with physical therapy.

    • Lymphedema
    • Muscular dystrophy
    • Osteoporosis
    • Respiratory issues, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, and more, 

    When it comes to unexplained pain and dysfunction and biomechanical problems, physical therapy has a long track record of proven results. Physical therapists identify and treat the root cause of many peripheral problems, often a consequence of an underlying problem, such as adhesions.

    The Comprehensive List of 30 Adhesion-Related Health Problems to Ask your Doctor about

    Adhesions can squeeze nerves, organs, and joints – causing internal pain or dysfunction, including female infertility, life-threatening bowel obstructions, and numerous other problems. How can you know if you have adhesion-related health problems? This list provides some basic information about adhesion-related health problems and their causes.

    1. Menstrual Pain / Dysmenorrhea – Adhesions pull ligaments, fascias, or connective tissues that attach the uterus to surrounding structures
    2. Intercourse Pain / Sexual Dysfunction – Adhesions form between muscle cells deep within the cervix and/or attach to the vaginal wall, entrance, or other pain-sensitive structures.
      1. This reduces elasticity, potentially pulling the tailbone forward, and negatively impacts desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction.
    3. Endometriosis Pain – Adhesions pull on pain-sensitive structures caused by endometriosis.
    4. Genital Mutilation – Adhesions can cause a lifetime of chronic pain and dysfunction.
    5. Cervical Stenosis – Adhesions can tighten, narrow, or close the entrance to the uterus and pull on the uterus, causing inflammation, pain, and more adhesions.
      1. These can ascend within the uterus to block one or both fallopian tubes.
    6. Mastectomy Pain – Adhesions can form in the chest wall, neck, shoulders, and arms, causing pain and tightness or a condition called “frozen shoulder.”
    7. Hysterectomy Pain – Adhesions can form at the surgical site and connect to neighboring structures like the intestines, bowels, vagina, or bladder.
    8. C-Section Pain – Adhesions can form at the surgical site and cause pain and tightness in the pelvic region.
    9. Myomectomy Pain – Adhesions can form within the uterus and decrease the chances of successful implantation of a fertilized egg, increasing the likelihood of miscarriage, or form outside of the uterus and bind delicate reproductive structures together, impairing function.
    10. Blocked Fallopian Tubes – Adhesions and internal scars are the primary causes of tubal blockage.
    11. Hydrosalpinx – Adhesions can cause the swelling of the fallopian tubes.
    12. Endometriosis Infertility – Inflammation that accompanies the endometrial swelling can continually cause more and more adhesions to form, impairing functions necessary for fertility.
    13. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – Adhesions can cover the ovaries.
    14. Pre-IVF Treatment / Age, High FSH & Hormonal – Adhesions can form at the uterus, cervix (called stenosis of the cervix), and fallopian tubes, and the dura and skull (near the pituitary, the “master gland” of female reproduction), reducing FSH levels and decreasing implantation rates.
    15. Unexplained Infertility (UI), a.k.a. Idiopathic Infertility – Adhesions are invisible on X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI, or CT scans.
    16. Secondary Infertility – A reproductive tract traumatized by the initial pregnancy or birth can result in adhesions that interfere with future fertility.
    17. Neck Pain – Adhesions can form when neck muscles are inflamed by poor posture, injury, or other causes.
    18. Back & Hip Pain – Adhesions can form at the sacral joints, causing biomechanical and soft tissue dysfunctions. 
    19. Tailbone Pain – A misaligned tailbone can cause mobility problems, constipation, reproductive problems, and the formation of adhesions that aggravate all of these issues.
    20. Childhood Surgery/Trauma – When adhesions and scar tissue that form with surgery do not grow and expand with the rest of the body as the child grows, problems can last a lifetime.
    21. Migraines/Chronic Headaches – Internal scarring creates unnatural pressure that affects complex pain-sensitive structures in the head.
    22. TMJ/TMD – Adhesions can cause tightness or asymmetries that affect the jaw or temporomandibular joints.
    23. Myofascial Pain (MPS) – Adhesions cause mechanical problems with the body’s structure, resulting in pain.
    24. Post-Radiation Pain – Radiation therapy adhesions cause irradiated tissues to adhere to nearby organs, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
    25. Pain After Abuse – Trauma causes adhesions that can remain in the body for a lifetime without intervention.
    26. Abdominal Pain – Internal scarring can form between the ribs and the pubic bone, decreasing function and causing pain.
    27. Pelvic Pain / Groin Pain – Internal scarring can form when the membrane covering the abdominal and pelvic organs becomes inflamed and or the infection spreads throughout the abdominopelvic cavity.
    28. Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Inflammatory Diseases – Adhesions are a significant concern for patients with inflammatory diseases, slowing digestion and causing pain, nausea, bloating, distension, constipation, or diarrhea.
    29. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) – Adhesions can slow or stop bacteria from exiting the digestive system, contributing to the recurrence of SIBO and causing additional adhesions.
    30. Small Bowel Obstruction (SBO) – Adhesions can interfere with or completely block the passage of food and waste material, causing stomach pain and “stringy poop.”

    Do not avoid medical care or ignore illness, pain, or other health problems. During National Self-Check Month, make a wellness appointment, and be sure to ask your physician about physical therapy for any adhesion-related conditions you may have. Take a stand for your health by seeking treatment that will produce the desired results while avoiding the risks and side effects associated with surgery and medications.

    Set up a free consultation today! 

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  • C-Section Pain

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    We Treat C-Section Pain Naturally, Without Surgery or Drugs

    The body forms adhesions after surgical procedures, including C-section. Clear Passage®️ is a world leader in treating pelvic pain with a non-surgical manual physio/physical therapy. We have over three decades of experience treating C-section and intercourse pain. Studies on our work, including success rates, have been published in peer-reviewed U.S. and international medical journals. 

    Complete our online Request Consultation form to receive a free phone consultation with an expert therapist and learn whether this therapy can help you.

    For some women, the pain begins soon after surgery; for others, it may start months or even years after the C-section. For most, the pain never goes away; it remains or gets worse over time.

    C-Section Pain Overview

    Chronic pelvic or intercourse pain can occur in the months or even years after a Cesarean Section (C-section). This is a major surgery that cuts through several layers of sensitive pelvic tissue. The pain is often caused by adhesions, the powerful internal bonds that form when the body heals from the surgical procedure. Corrective surgery can cause more adhesions, exacerbating the problem.

    Adhesions often form after a C-section delivery, causing pain or tightness in the pelvis. (Morales et al., 2007; Hamel, 2007; Lyell et al., 2005) Designed to help the body heal, post-surgical adhesions can cause ongoing pain or dysfunction long after the surface scars have healed. Wherever they form, adhesions bind structures together with strong glue-like bonds that can last a lifetime. This can result in an uncomfortable pulling sensation or pain. 

    When adhesions form in the delicate folds of the bowels, they can cause pain or digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, or irritable bowel syndrome. In severe cases, these adhesions can lead to bowel obstruction, a life-threatening condition. Scar tissue c-section adhesions can also form in the delicate tissues of the reproductive tract, causing secondary infertility, pelvic or intercourse pain.

    Read “How to Tell if You Have Adhesions After C-Section” for more details on cesarean section scar tissue.

    C-section is the most common surgery among women in the United States. (Office of Women’s Health, 2009b) During a C-section, the physician cuts through the skin and abdominal walls, then cuts the uterus with an incision large enough to remove the infant(s).

    Complications such as a breech baby or a vaginal birth that is not progressing may lead to a C-section. Many physicians feel that a vaginal birth is safer and healthier for the mother and infant.

    Click here to watch an Internet video of a C-section surgery (graphic).

    C-section is a major surgery in which the physician cuts through several layers of skin, muscles, fascia, and abdominal wall to expose the uterus. The surgeon then slices the uterus open with an incision large enough to remove the infant(s).
    Cutting so deeply into the body can create significant adhesions as the body heals. These can spread into pain-sensitive structures, causing chronic or recurrent pain or dysfunction

    Treatment 

    Clear Passage®️ Treatment

    When patients who have undergone C-sections come to us with pain, dysfunction, or infertility, our physical therapists evaluate the uterus and pelvic and abdominal structures for areas of tension or restricted mobility. They pay particular attention to the areas around and deep to the incisions. Considering the tendency of adhesions to spread, they then examine the entire body for areas of pain, tension, and decreased mobility. As indicated, they examine the whole pelvis and abdomen during evaluation and treatment. The “hands-on” techniques we provide have been shown in peer-reviewed medical journals to reduce adhesions, decrease pain, and improve soft tissue mobility, without the risks of surgery or drugs.

    We know pelvic adhesions well. We faced this situation 20 years ago when our Director of Services, Belinda Wurn, developed severe adhesions after pelvic surgery and radiation therapy. Unable to work due to the pain, and having seen the devastating and debilitating effects of pelvic adhesions in her own patients, she was determined to find a non-surgical way to decrease and eliminate adhesions.

    With her husband, massage therapist Larry Wurn, Belinda took a much deeper look at the etiology and biomechanics of adhesion formation. They found that the chemical bonds that attached each of the tiny collagen fibers to its neighbor to create adhesions appeared to dissolve when placed under sustained pressure or shearing over time. With this knowledge, they developed the Clear Passage® Approach to unravel the bonds between the fibers that comprise adhesions.

    Most patients report significant to profound pain relief, and a return to normal life, facts that are reflected in published studies about our work.
    Clear Passage®️ offers a non-surgical choice. Our therapists focus on breaking down the cross-links that comprise adhesions. This allows us to pull apart the adhesions, like pulling apart the run in a three-dimensional sweater. As the adhesive pull is diminished, the pain disappears.

    Other Treatments for C-Section Pain (Surgery, Drugs)

    While lysis of adhesions can be effective, surgery has some major drawbacks:

    • It carries risks from anesthesia and infection
    • Despite the best skills of the finest surgeon, the body creates more abdominal adhesions as it heals from the surgery designed to remove them.

    A huge study in Digestive Surgery showed that more than 90% of patients develop adhesions after C-section treatment following open abdominal surgery (e.g., C-section), and 55% to 100% of women develop adhesions following pelvic surgery. (Liakakos et al., 2001) Another large study reported that 35% of all open abdominal or pelvic surgery patients were readmitted to the hospital more than twice to treat post-surgical adhesions during the 10 years after their original surgery. (Ellis et al., 1999) Thus, abdominal surgery itself has been implicated as a major cause of adhesion formation, and many patients become trapped in a cycle of surgery-adhesions-surgery with no end in sight. Clear Passage®️ provides the end of that cycle for many patients. 

    Until recently, surgery to cut or burn adhesions was the only choice for treating post-surgical adhesions. Despite excellent surgical skills, the procedure can cause more adhesions (internal scars) to form.

    Published Success Rates

    To view our success rates and published studies, please visit our Success Rates page. 

    Testimonials

    To read past patient success stories, please visit our Testimonials page.

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  • Why Do I Have Pain After C-Section?

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    If you are reading this article in search of an answer as to why you are continuing to experience pain months or even years after you’ve had a C-section, you are not alone. Post-C-section pain is not uncommon and can send women on a seemingly endless quest for relief.

    Jan Kriebs, a certified nurse midwife at the University of Maryland Medical Center, says, “Women really need to understand that a C-section is major abdominal surgery.” According to WebMD, the procedure, which typically lasts three to four hours, including pre- and post-op, involves making an incision through the skin, abdomen, muscle, and then into the uterus. Some experts believe that the prevalence of C-sections — one in three American women have the procedure — causes many to disregard the fact that it has the same risk of complications as other major surgeries.

    One of those complications is the formation of internal scars, called adhesions. They begin to form within the body as soon as the post-surgical healing process begins. The fact is that most patients develop adhesions after pelvic surgery, including C-section. A study in the journal Digestive Surgery showed that 55% to 100% of women develop adhesions after pelvic surgery. In some cases, the adhesions do not cause symptoms, and patients never even know that they have them. For others, adhesions are the source of significant pain and dysfunction, affecting their quality of life.

    Adhesions that form as the body heals from a C-section can cause an uncomfortable pulling sensation or pain. When found in the reproductive tract, they can cause chronic pelvic or intercourse pain as they pull on delicate tissues and structures with a strength approaching 2,000 pounds per square inch. When post-C-section adhesions form in the bowels, they can cause abdominal pain and digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, or irritable bowel syndrome.

    Regardless of where they form, post-C-section adhesions can pull on and bind structures together with strong glue-like bonds that can last a lifetime. Unless these post-surgical adhesions are addressed, a woman will likely continue to experience pain and dysfunction. The treatment options for C-section-related adhesions and pain include:

    • Manual physical therapy, the Wurn Technique®, to decrease adhesions without surgery
    • Lysis of adhesions, a procedure in which the surgeon cuts or burns adhesions

    Unfortunately, surgery to remove adhesions almost always leads to more adhesions as the body heals from the latest procedure, leaving patients trapped in a vicious cycle of surgery-adhesions-surgery.

    If you are experiencing chronic pain as a result of a C-section, we encourage you to schedule a free phone consultation with an expert therapist to learn more about the Wurn Technique® and whether we can help you.

    References