Labour Pain Types and Pain Relief or Management Method During Labor
Different Types of Labour Pain:
There are mainly two types of labour pain which are felt by any pregnant women. Those are listed in the below-
- True labour pain,
- False labour pain.
All the above two types of labour pain have explained in the below:
Features of True Labor Pain:
- Painful uterine contraction (labour pain) at regular intervals.
- The pain gradually increasing in intensity.
- Gradually the duration of pain is increasing.
- Frequency of the pain is increase.
- Progressive effacement and dilatation of cervix.
- Associated with show
- Formation of bag of waters.
- No relieved by sedatives.
It is an intermittent progressive pain gradually increasing in intensity, duration and frequency which coincides with uterine contractions.
Features of False Labor Pain:
- Dull in nature.
- Usually confined to the lower abdomen and groin.
- Continuous and unrelated with hardening of the uterus.
- Without any effect on dilatation of the cervix.
- Usually relieved by enema and administration of a sedative.
False pains are probably due to stretching of the cervix and lower uterine segment with consequent irritation of the neighboring ganglia.
Difference Between True and False Labour Pain:
Points | True Labour Pain | False Labour Pain |
Onset of pain | At the onset of labour | Usually prior to onset |
Character | Colicky | Dull |
Nature | Sever | Dull |
Site | Back and in front of | Lower abdomen and |
Radiation | Towards thigh | Localized |
Duration | Intermittent | Persistent |
Progression | Intensity increases | Non-progressive |
Relieving factors | Nothing | Absent |
Cervical dilatation | Present | Absent |
Show | Present | Absent |
Causes | Vigorous uterine | Stretching of the |
Pain Relief Method or Management During Labor:
By the below ways, pain can be managed during labour-
- Pharmacological technique by uses of medications.
- Non-Pharmacological techniques. These are –
- Counter pressure,
- Light massage,
- Therapeutic touch,
- Walking,
- Rocking,
- Application of heat & cold,
- Water / hydrotherapy,
- Aroma Therapy,
- Breathing techniques- by slow chest breathing, shallow chest breathing, deep breathing etc.,
- Music therapy,
- Hypnosis therapy,
- Provide emotional support by expressing care, being dependable, helping, advocacy, encouraging,
- Positioning: Women who labour in upright positions during labour experience less pain.
More questions related to this article:
- What is true labor pain?
- What do you mean by false labor pain?
- What are the features of true labor pain?
- Mention the key features of false labor pain.
- What are the different types of labor pain?
- Differentiate true and false labor pain.
- What are the differences between true and false labour pain?
- Compare between true and false labour pain.
- How to manage pain during labor?
- What are the non-pharmacological pain relief methods during labor?
- What are the techniques of pain relief during labor?
Maria Khatun Mona is a Founder and Editor of Nursing Exercise Blog. She is a Nursing and Midwifery Expert. Currently she is working as a Registered Nurse at Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has great passion in writing different articles on Nursing and Midwifery. Mail her at “maria.mona023@gmail.com”