What Causes Abdominal Numbness After C-Section, And What Can You Do About It?

Read up about possible c-section complications, and you will quickly find out that some post-cesarean mothers will experience infections, blood clots, adverse reactions to anesthesia or other medications, and even accidental injury to internal organs, as well as scar tissue formation that might interfere with subsequent pregnancies and deliveries. You'll find out that cesarean sections sometimes lead to emergency hysterectomies, and that a rare few mothers even die as the result of c-section complications. 

Something you rarely read about in informative articles about c-section complications and recovery, though, is abdominal numbness. Given the fact that abdominal numbness after a c-section is a hugely popular topic among post-cesarean mothers on internet forums, and appears to be a common complication, that's pretty frustrating — if you've suddenly lost sensation in part of your belly after having a c-section, you'll have plenty of questions.

Why Do Some Women Experience Abdominal Numbness After A C-Section?

Immediately post-cesarean, some of the numbness patients experience will be a residual effect of the anesthesia they received for the operation. This numbness can take a while to lift, especially in the case a nerve block was used. Rather than being an unpleasant side effect, this kind of numbness protects patients from the pain they would otherwise feel in the aftermath of their operation. Once the anesthesia wears off, new moms who had a c-section will be switched to oral analgesics or patient-controlled IV pain relief, gradually tapering off until they can manage their daily life without medication. A cesarean may be pretty routine, but it is still major surgery, and pain relief can only be, well, a welcome relief. 

If you're still feeling numb after you've stopped using pain killers, you may wonder what's happening. The site around a surgical incision will often be numb, regardless of whether you are talking about a c-section or other kinds of operations, and this is related to nerve damage. The the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, and genitofemoral nerves are the nerves that enable you to feel sensation within the abdomen. During planned, routine cesarean sections, your surgeon — if they are capable and experienced — will steer clear of these important nerves. Even when nerves aren't actually cut, however, some damage can occur in the form of bruising or nerves being crushed. Later on, nerves can also be trapped by the internal scar tissue that forms after the operation. This is what results in abdominal numbness. 

Some women who had a c-section even report an inability to experience sensation in their upper labia and hip bones! Such extensive numbness is more likely to result when nerves have been cut, which may happen during an emergency c-section or planned c-sections carried out in less developed nations. 

How Long Will My Post-Cesarean Abdominal Numbness Last, And What Can I Do About It?

Many women will experience an odd combination of numbness and itching or aching during the few weeks immediately after their c-section, only to completely regain their lost sensation once they heal from their c-sections. For Rachel, a friend of mine, the numbness began to fade after about six weeks. "At first, it was really weird; I'd touch one place and feel it in a completely different spot of my tummy," she said.

I was seriously worried I'd never be back to my old self again, especially because my lady parts had gone numb. I thought I'd never be able to enjoy being intimate the same way again. Thankfully, by the time my baby was two months old, things were nearly back to normal.

Other people, unfortunately, will discover that their abdominal numbness is a more long-term issue, with some women reporting they have still not regained the ability to feel what's going on around the incision site a decade after they had their cesarean sections. These women will, first and foremost, be wondering if there is anything they can do about the numbness. 

Can You Do Anything To Fix Your Post C-Section Abdominal Numbness?

While many women offer informal solutions to numbness caused by c-section incisions, there is no scientific evidence that these treatments actually work. If you're still numb, you certainly have nothing to lose by trying some of the proposed solutions in the form of home remedies — engaging in abdominal strength exercises after your medical team has given you the green light, using oils such as St John's Wort oil and Evening Primrose oil to attempt to regenerate nerves, and staying very well hydrated. Many online venues where women who suffer from post-cesarean abdominal numbness congregate especially recommend abdominal massage regimes, which they say help them regain sensation.

When these proposed solutions don't actually work, though, you have roughly three options:

• Wait and see if your sensation comes back, which can indeed happen — pretty much regardless of how far post c-section you are. 
• Especially if the numb area is very small, simply come to accept that your body has undergone some changes since your cesarean. 
• Seek medical attention to see what can be done about your abdominal numbness. 

They further observe that this kind of repair is often ideally accomplished during tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) — which, in a perfect "cherry on the cake" twist, will also fix abdominal bulges that you'll frequently encounter after a cesarean section. In other words, you may be able to achieve the flat tummy many women dream of while also regaining your lost abdominal sensation!

In some cases, such procedures, where numbness — lost sensation that has a detrimental impact on your quality of life — results from a previous surgery, may even be covered by health insurance policies. 

If you have been experiencing abdominal numbness for quite a while, and it's extensive enough that it is really impacting your quality of life, we can only advise you to seek medical help. While you can certainly start inquiring with your family doctor or OBGYN, in this case, plastic surgeons will often have the edge. If you are hoping to go this route, select a board-certified plastic surgeon who has ample experience in this area.