I'm 30, and I've had two C-sections. My first caused no problems. My second was in December 1997 and I'm still having numbness, pain and sensitivity. Could there be an infection or some other problem? I've consulted the OB-GYN who operated on me and another one from a different practice. They both told me that sometimes it is normal for those symptoms to "hang around." Is that true? My sister had four C-sections and has never had the problems I'm having.

-- Deb

I'm assuming you mean numbness, pain and sensitivity around your incision. This is actually not uncommon at all. Any time you have surgery, be it a C-section or any other procedure that involves an incision -- or even when you get a garden-variety cut -- nerves that cross the path of the incision (or cut) are severed. This leads to numbness in the area. Most of the time, the nerve endings grow across the scar and normal sensation returns, but sometimes there are numb patches forever. Sometimes a little bundle of nerve tissue forms at the cut end, leading to increased sensitivity or even pain in this area. Injections of steroids may help this particular part of your problem.

Given that you have been examined by two different doctors and neither has found any infection, it is unlikely there is a serious problem. I have a numb spot on my left index finger from a bagel-cutting accident over 10 years ago -- it falls into the "something you have to live with" category.