Who Knew? Scar Massage After C-Sect. Important Self-Care!

If you or anyone you know has given birth to a child via C-section, then the following information is essential. I’ve been smacking my head in disbelief because most women are unaware of this … and how could that possibly be? With the C-section rate still climbing, I’m shocked by how many women are simply uninformed of how important it is to properly heal their C-section scars. (The key is to do a series of special massage techniques.) Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself, but in this case it needs your help.

Simply put, here’s the deal with your abdominal scar: Having a C-section causes surgical adhesions. Adhesions not only cause pain and numbness, but they can travel through your body and attach themselves to certain body parts—that’s right, they can attach themselves to your body! In some cases, they may even get your internal organs all tangled up … and that can’t be a good thing! Here are some of the complications that you may experience down the road if you don’t treat your abdominal scar correctly. (Get ready for this—the list is long.) Pelvic pain, prolapsed organs, bladder incontinence, abdominal and intestinal pain, hip pain, organ displacement, sciatica, lower back pain, painful intercourse, infertility, and even IBS are just a few of the potential consequences.

This may sound intimidating, but the important thing is to be aware of how to best take care of yourself—especially since these symptoms may not show up until 10-15 years after your surgery. So, if you don’t treat your C-section scar now, you may freak out down the road when you experience a health complication. And you may never suspect that your C-section scar from 15 years ago had anything to do with your recent sciatica flare-up or your IBS. Well, now you know! I recommend waiting a minimum of 6 weeks before you start the massage process, or at least until the tenderness has subsided and your healthcare professional approves (even though he or she probably forgot to tell you how important post C-section scar massages are for your long-term health).

Here’s how to give yourself the massage: Choose a great video from YouTube. I was going to do my own video, but I couldn’t have done it any better than the one I found. (Thank you, Intuitive Hands!) Your goal is to lift the scar up from the underlying tissue so that it doesn’t connect to the muscle behind it. This will take some getting used to (and balls, because I know that some of you are squeamish and afraid to touch your scar), so take your time—the more often you do it, the easier it will get.

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