Epidural anesthesia is a frequent choice of pain relief for women in labor. During this procedure, a needle is inserted into the epidural space of the spine and an anesthetic medication is injected via a small catheter that remains in the back. Immediate, short-term side effects are much more common than long-term side effects, although the long-term effects do occur. Anesthesiologists should explain all risks, both short and long term, with patients prior to the administration of an epidural.
Persistent Headache
When epidurals are placed, it is possible for the needle to go beyond the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord, creating what is known as a dural puncture. The Arachnoiditis Sufferers Action and Monitoring Society explains that in women who have experienced a dural puncture, some complain of a persistent headache that occurs even years after the epidural was performed.
Numbness
Following epidural placement, some women can experience numbness in a small area of one leg for a period of time, notes the University of North Carolina Women’s Hospital. The numbness usually goes away eventually. Numbness and tingling in the hands, lower back, buttocks and legs is also possible. (Reference 2, Section 20)
Backache
According to Dr. Lewis E. Mehl-Madrona, MD, PhD, of Healing-arts.org, backaches are a common long-term side effect experienced after epidural placement. Dr. Mehl-Madrona notes that as many as 19 percent of women who receive epidurals during labor experience backaches long term. It is thought that the medication’s effect on the nerves combined with various labor positions contribute to the presence of long-term backaches.
Paralysis
Paralysis is a possible side effect related to any anesthetic, including epidurals, explains the UNC Department of Anesthesiology. Anesthesiologists are specially trained to perform epidural procedures, thus the risk of paralysis is extremely small. Bleeding that occurs during epidural placement can cause a hematoma, or pocket of blood, that can cause paralysis if it presses against the spinal cord. (Reference 2) Paralysis can also occur if the epidural prevents proper blood flow to the spinal cord.
References
- UNC Anesthesiology: Epidural Analgesia for Pain Relief in Labor
- Healing-Arts.org: Medical Risks of Epidural Anesthesia During Childbirth
- UNC Women’s Hospital: Epidural Analgesia: One Choice for Pain Relief in Labor
- Arachnoiditis Sufferers Action and Monitoring Society: Epidural Anesthesia and Arachnoiditis
