The epidural is safe to relieve pain and reduce back pain during labor. However, the risks are temporary or minimal. Pregnant women should talk to their doctor about what kind of pain they need to get rid of during labor.
Having a baby is the most intense and painful experience for a woman, whether it is an epidural or not. Strong contractions of the uterus can cause pain for many hours with labor and delivery. This is why maternal anesthesia becomes necessary in the practice of motherhood.
In recent years, epidural anesthesia has become the primary method of pain relief that doctors can use during childbirth and other medical procedures. Like all other medications and procedures, epidural anesthesia has its pros and cons.
How effective is epidural anesthesia?
Epidural anesthesia is more effective at relieving pain than any other medicine. According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, an epidural, used to reduce pain between a woman’s navel and upper leg, will work in 15 minutes. The epidermis acts as a nervous barrier. An anesthesiologist may prescribe an epidural for a number of reasons, including relief from pain during childbirth. Most women who take Epidural during labor have little or no pain. 1 in 100 women need extra pain medication after an epidural during childbirth to relieve pain.
Best time for epidural anesthesia during childbirth
The best time to give an epidural during labor is when a woman requests it. Shock occurs between contractions, and as the difficulty increases it becomes more difficult. Epidural anesthesia is best done in the early stages of labor. Sometimes your doctor may prescribe an epidural, even if you plan to have a baby without it. Or maybe you’ve just decided that you want it and that’s fine. An epidural does not eliminate all the pain, and the woman will still feel some pressure.
Other benefits of epidural anesthesia during childbirth include:
- It is usually safe and effective.
- This allows the woman to stay awake during the cesarean section.
- Women still control the upper body.
Epidural side effects and risks
An epidural can also cause numbness in the legs. It can pierce the protective layer around the spinal cord; if the needle is too deep, spinal fluid can leak out. Severe headaches can last from a few days to a week if too much fluid is lost. The risk to the mother is more serious, but usually rare. Women who undergo epidural anesthesia during childbirth are less likely to have a headache than women who use other forms of pain relief.
Some epidural side effects for women may include:
- Sore Pain
- Headache and fever
- Numbness in the lower part of the body after childbirth.
- Low blood pressure
- Problems with urination
Serious side effects are less common, including spinal cord injury, difficulty breathing, palpitations and numbness.
There may be some side effects of epidural anesthesia during childbirth, such as:
- Itching and skin infections.
- Weakness in the legs.
- Increased risk requires the help of forceps or vacuum.
- Some people also experience permanent nerve damage, but this is rare.
- Epidural opioids can cause short-term side effects in the fetus, including decreased muscle tone, changes in heart rate, drowsiness, and difficulty breathing.
Pros And Cons Of Epidural For Back Pain
Some women fear that the epidural will cause back pain because the injection is given in the lower back. At the same time, it can cause temporary pain at the injection site. People experience back pain and take epidural steroid injections to get rid of the pain immediately.
Pros
Epidural injections for low back pain may have some of the following benefits, including:
- Effectively reduces pain; People who get epidurals for sciatica have a 50-83% increase in pain.
- Minimize surgery. About 80% of people do not need surgery after an epidural injection.
- Minimize functional errors. An epidural can help people with long-term disabilities due to an injury, illness, or condition.
Cons
There may be some side effects for patients with epidural steroid injections:
- Improperly placed needles can irritate the already swollen spinal nerves.
- Drugs can affect the spinal cord or the brain.
- If not given properly, it can damage the arteries and cause bleeding, which can lead to blood clots.
- Some patients experience low blood pressure and palpitations.
- It stops bleeding, nerve damage, ulcers, dorsal puncture, high blood sugar, or cataracts.