THE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL SCARS OF CAESARIAN AND HOW TO TREAT TO RESTORE SENSATION.

In this article I will broach a subject that is little discussed and few know how to treat. It is in the borderline province of Category 2 and category 1 therapies. In my clinic I see many hundreds of women who have had one or multiple deliveries by caesarian.

Over the last 50 years of practice, I have gained some experience of what it means and how to ease that person back to health and self-confidence.

The emotional aspect.

The majority of women would rather have a natural birth in comfortable surroundings with support from the father and family to share the joyous moment. That is what I am told. I am also told that a number elect to have caesarian for fear of the pain or to be able to have the baby when and where they choose. From either perspective there is a whole range of emotions and differing circumstances in between.

An enforced caesarian on medical grounds or to suit the timescale for change of staff at the hospital is additional stress but may be well justified on medical grounds. For breech delivery and strangulation of the umbilicus or haemorrhage this is often the only way to have the best chance of survival. It is quite often the case that the male partner is not able to appreciate the stress and cannot cope with the post delivery depression, fear and feeling of being out of control, invasion and how she has been treated in the ward. As male therapists, I would urge that one seeks any opportunity to ask and try to understand, from the female perspective.

Without going into too much detail, the hormones necessary for a safe full term delivery are delicately balanced with those that inhibit pain, those that give the expectation of joy, those that cause the dilation and opening of the hip. It is this that is badly affected by the unnatural birth process.

Oxytocin is a largely misunderstood hormone and many think that it is simply released at intercourse. That is not so. It is fundamental to the building of relationships and is the bodies’ way of releasing lubricants. If oxytocin is not present then the body will not be prepared fully. Whether this is same sex relationship with fertility birth or hetero does not matter. If the partner does not have empathy the process is fraught with negative consequences.

If the pubic arcuate ligament does not restore to its correct position the hip will be misaligned and the lower back will be painful. Only a skilful manipulation will reset this. Unless you have been fully trained it is not to be attempted.

The Physical effects of loss of sensation.

The scar tissue is deep, extending through the dermis and of course, the Douglas pouch and womb. The methods of stitching may be with clips or suture. Whether this be an emergency or elected birth method, the common result is loss of sensation below the scar. If it is not the case, then that will depend on the level of anaesthesia and the duration of unconsciousness.

The two common sedation methods are general and local with epidural. Either may result in the loss of sensation and to understand why, one must look at how the brain communicates.

Very simply, the brain is a go-no go analogue computer that send regular ‘blips ‘ to every part of the body and gets an echo. If that echo is the same, then there is no need for action. If there is a loss of echo signal for more than 90 minutes, the brain lowers the voltage and stops expecting the response. Hence, when consciousness returns the brain has not remembered to send the correct voltage.

So, how to restore sensation? In acupuncture, it may be done with needling each side of the scar, moxibustion and massage. It may be done with auricular needling or acupressure. Hands of Light might do it or electro stimulation. I do not have the evidence of Cranio Sacral to refer to.

A very effective way is simply to place your right index finger tip on the skin above the scar and the left index below, about 2cm apart. Then think the energy from the right hand to the left hand and watch the sensation jump the gaps. Best to look at where the nerves are first but one might do this intuitively.

I have done this hundreds if not thousands of times with almost 100% success. The emotional release is profound. To restore the femininity to one who has been told there is nothing that can be done is life-changing.

Please try this and if you have any problems, you are welcome to e mail me. We must not let these arts die and I teach as many as I can. Tony