More than 50 percent of women ask for an epidural injection by name while in labor. The epidural injection is one of the few treatments with relatively few side effects to the child while giving birth. Epidurals are also administered for pain relief with a herniated disc and other injuries. Although an epidural contains safe medications, it is not without risk.
Minor Side Effects
Side effects that a patient may experience during an epidural include but are not limited to: shivering, backache, soreness, nausea and difficulty urinating. Also, pushing the baby out may be more difficult because the nerves have been temporarily disabled by the procedure.
Heart conditions
The epidural procedure has been known to produce a drop in blood pressure. On the occasion that blood pressure does drop, the doctor will administer medication in the IV to return blood pressure to normal levels. Although rare, the patient may also get a severe headache from loss of spinal fluid. In the case of severe headache, the doctor will administer what is known as a "blood patch"--a patient's own blood inside the spine to restore pressure.
Aftercare
Worst-case scenarios involve permanent nerve damage and leave a patient without a fully functional lower half. In better scenarios, walking may be difficult for many hours after the procedure.
Member Comments