Types of Labour Pain and Pain Management During Labor

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-

1. True labour pain,
2. 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 of labour pain by 1 or 2 weeks in primi, few days in multi.
Character	Colicky	Dull
Nature	Sever	Dull
Site	Back and in front of the abdomen	Lower abdomen and groin
Radiation	Towards thigh	Localized
Duration	Intermittent	Persistent
Progression	Intensity increases and interval decreases gradually	Non-progressive
Relieving factors	Nothing	Absent
Cervical dilatation	Present	Absent
Show	Present	Absent
Causes	Vigorous uterine contraction > anoxia to uterine muscle → Ischemic pain.	Stretching of the cervix and lower uterine segment.

Pain Relief Method or Management During Labor:

By the below ways, pain can be managed during labour-

1. Pharmacological technique by uses of medications.
2. 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:

1. What is true labor pain?
2. What do you mean by false labor pain?
3. What are the features of true labor pain?
4. Mention the key features of false labor pain.
5. What are the different types of labor pain?
6. Differentiate true and false labor pain.
7. What are the differences between true and false labour pain?
8. Compare between true and false labour pain.
9. How to manage pain during labor?
10. What are the non-pharmacological pain relief methods during labor?
11. What are the techniques of pain relief during labor?