What is epidural analgesia?
Analgesia means pain relief. Epidural analgesia is one of the pain relief choices for women giving birth. An epidural is similar to another pain relief option called intrathecal analgesia but the type of medicine, and the amount of numbness is different. To give the epidural, the anesthetist inserts a small needle between the vertebrae of the spinal column, into the space just outside the dural membrane. The dural membrane surrounds the spinal cord, spinal nerve roots and the spinal fluid. The medication travels to the nerve roots where it numbs them and gives you pain relief. If you will need more than just one dose of medicine for the epidural, the anesthetist can insert a tiny plastic tube called a catheter into the epidural needle. The needle is then pulled out and the catheter is held in place with tape. Then additional medication can be given when you need it. This is called a continuous epidural.
