Birth Trauma: Post Traumatic Stress DisorderPregnancy is an exciting feat for women. Just as exciting as it is, it can also be very difficult for some. This is especially true during child birth. Women who experienced a long and painful labor, emergency deliveries, or those who encountered problems with the health team often show symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a set of reactions to life-threatening or bad experience. Symptoms of the disorder include re-experiencing of the traumatic event, recurrent nightmares, phobia of people and places, sleeping problems and irritability. A lot of disorders may also coincide with PTSD such as eating and anxiety disorders, depression, panic, bipolar and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Treatment of PTSD usually involves psychological intervention. A specialty doctor can teach a PTSD patient to manage her symptoms by providing information about the disorder or by talking about the traumatic event. Eye Desensitization and Reprocessing is one form of therapy that is used. A practitioner guides a patient in talking about the traumatic event and the feelings associate with it while the latter follows the rapidly moving finger of the professional. Counseling, hypnotherapy, relaxation techniques or joining support groups may also help remedy PTSD in addition to talking to close family and friends. Medical intervention is also proven effective when given in close proximity to the fearful event. Examples of the drugs that may be administered are Alpha adrenergic agonists like Catapres, glucocorticoids, beta blockers such as Inderal and opiates. All treatments mentioned are more effective if employed as early as possible or recovery may take longer. Read more of our articles on labor and delivery
Labor and Delivery - Where Would You Like to Give Birth? |