This tremendous pain can start the very next day or hours after you have returned home from surgery; it can even begin haunting you in the hospital.
Now let's dive in and take a look to see if this burning sensation is normal and why it is even present.
Is It Normal For C-section Incision To Have A Burning Sensation?
Although it is normal to have some unease and a particular discoloration of the skin at the incision, not a lot of women experience it. But if the pain progresses and becomes unbearable, it might be your signal to go to a medical professional and get your proper checkup done. There might be a lot of reasons why you feel the c-section incision burning, some of which are discussed below.
Why Does Your C-Section Incision Burn?
There are a number of reasons why these incisions burn. Some of these are physiological, meaning they might leave on their own. At the same time, some are pathological, meaning they might be due to complications and cause critical damage to your body.
Nerve Damage
Nerve damage is the most common and one of the main reasons your incision burns. As the nerves are present in every part of your body, after your c-section surgery, the doctors tie back the cuts with sutures, which might cause piercing or damage to any of the nerves in that region. This can cause you continuous pain for some time, and this pain is irrespective of the size of the nerve. Even a very small nerve can put you through the most agonizing pain you have ever experienced. This nerve damage is unavoidable and will heal on its own after some time.
Hematoma
It represents a collection of blood outside of the blood vessels. This can also add to the burning pain at the incision. Hematomas can form if some artery is ruptured during the surgery and is not entirely restored.
Scar Tissue Formation
Women who have had more than one c-section are more likely to have this reason for burning pain at the incision. It is due to the fact that a scar is forming at the site, creating new skin at the site. So the stretching of this skin causes pain at the site.
Infection
Another major cause of the burning sensation after your c-section is an infection that might start at the incision. All the cuts made in the body are prone to bacterial invasion, which can cause several complications in healing. Keeping the incision wound clean is the best way to avoid infections. You should immediately get yourself checked up by a medical professional if you see any of the following symptoms at your incision:
- Painful Urination
- High-Grade Fever
- Consistently Increasing Pain
- Smelly Vaginal Discharge
- Noticeable Swelling Around The Incision
- Redness Or Purple Skin Coloration
How Do I Ease My C-Section Incision From Burning?
This burning pain will go away eventually over time, and you might not even remember having it after some days, but in some cases, it might get difficult for you to bear with this pain. So you can try some remedies for easing your pain. These include:
Taking Painkillers
Your doctor may prescribe you some painkillers for this pain if he determines it is unrelated to some pathology or complication. You can also buy any over-the-counter painkiller drugs for this burning sensation.
Massaging The Wound
A light and calm massage at the incision site can also help you get gradual relief from pain. It would be better to use some massage oil or coconut oil for massages, as they have soothing effects on your body.
Keeping The Wound Clean
The very strict rule for not just the c-section incision but for every wound or incision is to keep the wound clean. It aids in the prevention of infections in the wound and the presentation of any complications.
Using Ice Bags
Some people might get a recommendation to use ice or heat bags to calm their burning pain. The science behind it is simple, this creates false nerve signals for the brain, tricking it into thinking there is no pain.
Getting Local Anesthetic Shots
Suppose any of the means, as mentioned earlier, does not calm your pain. In that case, your doctor may consider giving you some local anesthetic shots at the burning area to desensitize the nerve endings present there. It is not a permanent solution, as the pain starts again after the effect of the local anesthetic is gone. Still, it can be very beneficial in providing instant relief from continuous pain.
Getting Your Nerves Removed Surgically
Neurectomy, which is getting one or more nerves surgically removed, is the final and permanent solution to your pain. It is only done if the pain is not calming, and getting the nerve out is the only option left. It is not commonly done, and it is scarce to have a need for it.
Wearing Comfy Clothes
Wearing tight clothes can irritate the wound and may also dislodge the newly placed sutures. So wearing loose and soft clothes will help your incision stay soothed and aid in a speedy recovery.
How Long Does It Take For C-Section Burning To Heal?
To know the healing time, you need to know how long it takes for nerve damage to heal after a c-section. This usually depends on different factors; in some people, the nerves heal, and the pain goes away within just days, while it might take weeks or months for others to heal.
In normal conditions, where the burning sensation is due to nerve damage at the incision, the pain fades away within ten weeks, but it might take longer for some people if they have an infection. It will only heal if the underlying cause is resolved.
Signs of C-Section Incision Healing
As for all the incisional wounds, the C-section incision heals in four stages:
- With the start of 1st week, the swelling and redness at the wound are expected.
- By the end of 2nd week & the start of 3rd week, stretching & pulling is felt at the wound as new skin forms.
- During the 4th to 5th week, the color changes from reddish to purple, showing the regrowth of new blood vessels.
- By the 6th week, complete healing is expected to be done.
FAQs
Do Stitches Burn And Itch?
It is usually typical for the stitches to itch and have a burning sensation, but it is only for a few days or weeks. If the itching or burning is not fading, it might have an infection and should be checked by a medical professional.
When Can I Start Moving Properly After C Section?
This mainly depends on how you take care of your wound. The pain usually disappears after six weeks, so you should expect to move properly by the 7th or 8th week. To heal properly after your C-section, you must also take care of your dietary habits during this healing process.
Does C-Section Incision Hurt While Healing?
The pain gradually disappears, although the incision may be slightly swollen during the first few weeks. You may feel stretched during the healing process as new skin forms at the incision site.
Is C-Section Pain Burning or Stinging?
The correct term to describe this pain is actually “Burning” instead of “Stinging.” This burning pain does not imply that there is something wrong. It is part of the healing process and is caused by nerve damage during surgery.
Why I Have C-Section Burning Only On One Side?
Having pain only on one side or on both sides is normal. Pain on one side may refer to the damaged nerve, which has branches on either the right or left side of your abdomen. Although it is more common to have pain on both sides equally, pain on only one side also implies the same logic as pain on both sides.
Why Is My C-Section Incision Hard?
All c-section injuries heal differently; some may be hard and slightly raised. This type of incision is called a “Hypertrophic C-section scar.” It is normal and can form if the scar is formed on a keloid. This type of scar is usually harmless but can spread in size and get irritated quickly. You can use different methods, like silicon strips, to heal them.
Which Nerves Cause Burning Pain After C-Section?
The nerves that usually get damaged during the c-section incision are the Ilioinguinal and Iliohypogastric nerves. Stabbing or burning at the incision area is usually a symptom that these nerves have been damaged.
