healing time
how long does perineal trauma take to heal?
How long does perineal trauma take to heal?
For the majority of women, perineal tears heal reasonably quickly with no long-term morbidity with the wound closing and skin healing at days 10–14 postnatal.
Although an increase in pain is a possible indicator of infection, most women experience varying degrees of perineal pain or discomfort in the first two weeks following vaginal birth that can affect their ability to mobilise. Such symptoms could be normal at particular stages of healing and it is reported that up to 20% of women who sustain perineal trauma continue to experience some pain at eight weeks post-partum (supporting evidence - 4). Hence, it is important to ensure that adequate analgesia is discussed taking into account the woman’s medical history and the method of baby feeding. Non-pharmacological treatments such as topical application of ice and cold gel packs can provide short term pain relief when applied to the perineal area (supporting evidence - 5,6).