Epidurals are a common procedure to provide pain relief or a lack of feeling for labor and childbirth, certain surgeries and certain causes of chronic pain. An epidural is generally a very safe procedure, but there are some risks and possible side effects.
An epidural is a procedure that involves injecting a medication — either an anesthetic or a steroid — into the space around your spinal nerves known as the epidural space. The goal of an epidural procedure is to provide pain relief (analgesia) or a complete lack of feeling (anesthesia) for one region of your body, such as your legs or belly.
What are the side effects of an epidural?
- A sore back: A person may feel some soreness at the injection site. This soreness does not usually last more than a few days.
- Headache: Rarely, the epidural injection may puncture the protective layer of the spinal cord. This is known as a dural puncture. This may occur in 2–3% of cases and can cause spinal fluid to leak out, resulting in a headache.
- Itchiness: When using opioids, it is common for a person to experience itching. A person may be able to treat this itchiness with other medication.
- Numbness and tingling in the legs: A person may experience their legs feeling heavy. Additionally, people may feel weakness in their legs.
- Problems with urination: A person may require Trusted Source a urinary catheter if they experience difficulty urinating after an epidural.
- Low BP (Blood Pressure) : A person may experience a decrease in their blood pressure after epidural administration. During childbirth, this may slow the baby’s heart rate. To reduce the likelihood of this occurring, a person may receive extra fluids and may need to lie on their side.
Some of the other side effects:
- nausea
- vomiting
- breathing problems
- fever
- difficulty in walking
- infection, such as meningitis
- epidural hematoma
- epidural abscess
- osteomyelitis
- sepsis
Some short term side effects to a baby:
- changes in heart rate
- problems with breathing
- tiredness
- a decrease in muscle tone
- a decrease in breastfeeding
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