Research Shows that Post-pregnancy Tummy Tuck Reduces Back Pain
Pregnancy and childbirth can lead to a number changes to your appearance. That’s why many women in the Philadelphia, PA area visit our practice for a mommy makeover. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and other procedures can get rid of sagging skin, smooth away stretch marks, and leave a woman looking like she did before having a child.
While a tummy tuck has significant cosmetic benefits for women who’ve given birth, a new study reveals that the surgery can also help alleviate postpartum back pain. Let’s consider this and other health benefits related to the tummy tuck.
What Causes Back Pain after Giving Birth?
Many women report back pain during pregnancy and after they’ve given birth. During pregnancy, the extra weight from your baby and the changes to your abdominal muscles can lead to additional strain on your lower back.
After giving birth, the back pain may linger given the stress of caring for a newborn. The strain on your neck and back while breastfeeding can also lead to additional back pain. In addition, hormonal changes during and after pregnancy can contribute to joint pain throughout the body, including the back and hips.
Research from the Journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Back pain should be less of an issue as your body repairs itself after childbirth, but undergoing a tummy tuck may help take care of the problem sooner.
A study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery followed 214 women in Australia who underwent a tummy tuck with muscle repair after childbirth. More than half of the women reported moderate to severe back pain prior to undergoing surgery. Six weeks and six months following the tummy tuck, only 9 percent of the patients reported moderate back pain as an issue.
Additional Options for Relieving Postpartum Back Pain
A tummy tuck can be helpful in relieving back pain, but there are other things that can be done to address postpartum back pain. This includes:
- Carrying a child from the front of your body rather than on your hip
- Resuming moderate exercise
- Core strengthening
- Yoga and pilates
- Improving posture
- Losing weight
- Eating healthy
- Using heat packs or cold compresses
- Soaking in warm baths
- Using relaxation techniques
Your doctor can discuss various pain relief strategies with you to help you recover in the months after childbirth.
The Other Benefits of Post-pregnancy Tummy Tuck Surgery
In addition to relieving back pain, the same study found that tummy tuck could relieve urinary incontinence. A little less than half of patients in the study reported incontinence before their tummy tuck. After the tummy tuck, just 2 percent of patients reported issues with incontinence.
Is a Tummy Tuck Right for Me?
If you have given birth and are interested in a tummy tuck, it’s important that you visit our practice for a consultation. We can discuss candidacy for tummy tuck or a full mommy makeover. We’ll happily provide some guidance on the timing of the surgery and what results can be achieved.
Learn More about Tummy Tuck
For more information about tummy tuck and other post-pregnancy procedures, be sure to contact our team of cosmetic surgeons. Our team is here to offer insight and answers so you can undergo the right treatment for your needs.