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Adding bilateral TTNS to traditional physiotherapy offers more significant relief from postpartum constipation symptoms when compared to using traditional therapy alone.
Postpartum constipation is a common and often distressing condition following cesarean section deliveries. While laxatives are typically used to tackle this issue, they come with well-known side effects. Moreover, their benefits dissipate once they are discontinued. A recent randomized controlled trial has explored a promising alternative—bilateral transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS)—to determine if it could offer a more lasting solution for postpartum constipation.
In total, 56 females (aged 20 to 35 years), with a body mass index ranging from 25 to 33 kg/m² and suffering from constipation after childbirth were enrolled. Participants were randomly divided into 2 groups:
Each participant was evaluated at baseline (before the treatment) and again after 12 weeks to measure changes in their symptoms and quality of life. The results were striking. Both groups exhibited prominent improvements in constipation symptoms, examined by the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptom (PAC-SYM) and Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) Questionnaires, as well as the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS).
However, the TTNS group illustrated markedly better outcomes, with substantially more favorable PAC-SYM and PAC-QOL scores when compared to the control group. Thus, when addressing constipation in postpartum women, adding bilateral TTNS to the standard physiotherapy regimen appears to offer greater benefits than relying solely on traditional therapy.
These findings are particularly important for new mothers, who often experience postpartum constipation as a result of hormonal changes, medications, and physical strain from childbirth. Unlike laxatives, which yield temporary relief and come with side effects, TTNS could offer a safer, more sustainable treatment option without the need for continued medication.
Advances in Rehabilitation
Bilateral transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation: a promising treatment for women with postpartum constipation: A randomized controlled trial
Afaf Mohamed Mahmoud Botla et al.
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