how does epidural work

What are the pros and cons of having an epidural | BabyCenter

Epidural anesthesia is the most popular method of pain during labor. Women requesting epidural by name more than any other method of pain. More than 50% of women give birth at hospitals use epidural anesthesia.

As you prepare for "Labor Day," trying to learn as much as possible about the choice of pain so that you will be better prepared to make decisions during the process. Understanding the different types of epidurals, how they are given, and the benefits and risks they will assist you in making decisions during labor and delivery.

Epidural anesthesia is regional anesthesia that blocks pain in a particular area of ​​the body. The aim of the epidural is to provide analgesia, or pain, rather than anesthesia, leading to a total lack of feeling. Epidural blocking nerve impulses from the spinal segment were lower. This resulted in decreased sensation in the lower part of the body.

Epidural medications fall into a class of drugs known as bupivacaine, chloroprocaine, or lidocaine. They are often delivered in combination with such as fentanyl and sufentanil to decrease the required dose of local anesthetic.

This results in pain relief with minimal effect. It can be used in combination with epinephrine, fentanyl, morphine, or clonidine to prolong the effect of epidural or to stabilize the mother's blood pressure.

intravenous (IV) fluids will be started before active labor begins and prior to placing the epidural procedure. You can expect to receive 1-2 liters of IV fluids throughout labor. Anesthesiologists (specializing in anesthesia), an anesthesiologist obstetrician or nurse will administer your epidural.

You will be asked to arch your back and remain still while lying on the left side or sitting. This position is very important to prevent problems and improve the effectiveness of epidural.

An antiseptic solution will be used to wipe the lumbar region of the middle of your back to minimize the possibility of infection. A small area on your back will be injected with a local anesthetic to numb it. A needle is then inserted into the numbed area around the spinal cord in the lower back.

After that, a small tube or catheter is threaded through the needle into the epidural space. The needle then carefully removed, leaving the catheter in place to provide better drug through periodic injections or intravenously. catheter affixed to the back to prevent it from slipping out.

There are two basic epidurals used today. Hospitals and anesthesiologists will be different at doses and combinations of drugs. You should ask your service provider at the hospital on their practices in this regard.

Once the catheter is in place, the combination of narcotics and anesthetics administered either by pump or by periodic injections into the epidural space. A narcotics such as fentanyl or morphine administered to replace some of the higher dose of anesthetics, such as bupivacaine, chloroprocaine, or lidocaine.

This helps reduce some of the side effects of anesthesia. You will want to ask about your hospital policy about staying in bed and eat.

An initial dose of narcotic, anesthetic or a combination of the two injected beneath the outer membrane that covers the spinal cord, and the inner epidural space. This is an area intrathecal. anesthesia will retract the needle into the epidural space, thread a catheter through the needle, then pull the needle and leaving the catheter in place.

This allows more freedom to move while in bed and a greater ability to change the position to help. With the catheter in place, you can request an epidural if at any time the initial intrathecal injection is inadequate. You should ask about hospital policy you're moving around, eating and drinking after the epidural has been placed.

With the use of these drugs, muscle strength, balance, and the reaction is reduced. CSE should provide pain relief for 4-8 hours.

The answer depends on whom you ask. Some women describe the epidural placement as create a little discomfort in the area where the back was numb, and feeling pressure because of a small tube or catheter is placed.

Typically the epidural is placed when the cervix dilated to 4-5 centimeters and you are in active labor right.

You can epiduralcause your labor to slow down and make the contractions stronger. If this happens, you may be given the drug Pitocin to speed up labor support.

As stated earlier, research on the effects of epidurals on newborns is rather ambiguous, and many factors can affect the health of newborns. How many of the effects of these drugs will have difficult to predetermine and can vary based on the dosage, length of labor, and the characteristics of each individual infant.

Since the dosage and medication can vary, concrete information on the research is not currently available. One of the possible side effects of epidural with several baby is the struggle with "" in nursing. Another is that while in-utero, the baby may also become lethargic and have trouble getting into position for delivery.

These drugs have also been known to cause respiratory depression and a decrease in fetal heart rate in newborns. Although drugs may not harm these babies, they may have subtle effects on newborns.

nerve uterus should begin to numb within a few minutes after the initial dose. You may feel throughout the numbing effect after 10-20 minutes. As the dose of anesthetic begins to wear off, more doses will be given-usually every one to two hours.

Depending on the type and dose epidural is given, you can be limited on your bed and not allowed to get up and move around.

If labor continues for more than a few hours you will probably need urinary catheterization, because your stomach is going numb, making urination difficult. After your baby is born, the catheter is removed and the anesthetic effect usually disappear within one or two hours.

Some women report experiencing uncomfortable burning sensation around the birth canal as the drug out.

You may not be able to tell that you have contracted for your epidural anesthesia. If you can not feel your contractions, then pushed it may be difficult to control. For this reason, your baby may need extra help down the birth canal. This is usually done by using pliers.

For the most part, the epidural was effective in reducing pain during labor. Some women complain to be able to feel pain, or they feel that these drugs work better on one side of the body.

An epidural may not be an option for pain relieve during labor if any of the following apply:

Questions to ask your health care provider now and at the time of delivery at the hospital:

Last updated: October 13th, 2019 at 15:01 am

Compiled using information from the following sources:

1. American Academy of Family Physicians

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