A needle is used to insert a fine plastic tube called an epidural catheter
into your back (spine) near the nerves
that carry pain messages to your brain. The needle is then removed, leaving just the catheter in your spine. You may feel mild discomfort when the epidural needle is positioned and the catheter is inserted.
Where is an epidural placed?
Epidural anesthesia involves the insertion of a sterile guide needle and a small tube (epidural catheter) into the space around your spinal cord (epidural space). The epidural catheter is placed
at or below the waist
. The doctor first uses a local anesthetic to numb the area where the needle will be inserted.
Which vertebrae do they put an epidural?
During epidural anesthesia or analgesia, the epidural space is reached by inserting an epidural needle between
two vertebrae in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine
.
What hurts more spinal or epidural?
Predicted pain for epidural and spinal insertion (epidural 60.6 +/- 20.5 mm, spinal: 55.1 +/- 24 mm) was
significantly higher than
the pain perceived (epidural 36.3 +/- 20 mm, spinal 46.1 +/- 23.2 mm) (epidural P < 0.001, spinal P = 0.031).
How long after epidural can you walk?
Most of the time, you can walk
within a half hour or so
of your epidural injection. However, you will not necessarily be walking normally at this point. Most clinics and hospitals monitor you for 15 minutes to an hour after an epidural injection. During this time, they will likely ask how you feel.
Can you feel baby coming out with an epidural?
The goal of an epidural is to
provide relief from pain
, not total numbness, while keeping you comfortable and completely alert during your birth experience. You may still feel your contractions happening (though you may not feel the pain of them much or at all), and you should still be able to push when the time comes.
Why is an epidural so bad?
The needle used to
deliver the epidural can hit a nerve
, leading to temporary or permanent loss of feeling in your lower body. Bleeding around the area of the spinal cord and using the wrong medication in the epidural can also cause nerve damage. This side effect is extremely rare.
Is birth still painful with epidural?
Does labor still hurt if you have an epidural?
It’s normal to worry that you’ll still feel some pain even
after you’ve been given an epidural. Most women experience great pain relief with an epidural, but it won’t be 100 percent pain-free.
How painful is a spinal block?
What it feels like: You may feel some stinging when numbing medicine is first injected into the site, but
the spinal block itself doesn’t hurt
. You may feel pressure, though, and as the spinal starts working you’ll feel numbness and loss of movement in your feet, then your legs, up to your waist.
Is spinal anesthesia better than general?
Unlike general anesthesia, spinal anesthesia does not require patients to use breathing tubes. Patients who take medications to control blood pressure, have COPD, or are long-term smokers have a hard time with breathing tubes, which makes spinal
anesthesia a far better option
for them.
Is spinal block better than epidural?
If you’re heading into your first birth, your medical team may opt for an epidural. Here’s why: First births can last for 12 to 18 hours. Whereas a
spinal
gives you pain relief for an hour or two, an epidural offers you the option of pain relief for a longer period of time.
When is too late for epidural?
“It’s too late for an epidural
when women are in transition
, which is when the cervix is fully dilated and just before they start pushing. Transition is the really intense bit when lots of women ask for epidurals.
What should you not do after an epidural?
Do not drive within 12 hours
of receiving your epidural injection. Do not apply heat right to the injection site for at least three days following the epidural. This includes steam rooms, saunas, and hot packs, but your regular shower is safe.
Can you lay on your back after an epidural?
After the tube is placed,
you will be able to lie on your back
, turn, walk, and do other things your doctor says you can do.
Is it worth having an epidural?
This is usually a personal decision, but an epidural might be recommended in certain situations, such as when: Your labor pain is so intense that you feel exhausted or out of control. An
epidural can help you rest and get focused
. You have a higher than average chance of needing a C-section.
What does it feel like to give birth without an epidural?
Some people describe the feeling as being like
intense period cramps
, others say it feels like a tightening or pounding feeling in your uterus or across your belly, others describe the feeling as being like very intense muscle cramps, while still other people describe contractions as being like the sort of wrenching …
