What is an intrathecal?
An intrathecal anesthetic is a type of spinal anesthetic that is primarily used for control of labor pain. It is similar to what many people remember as a saddle block. Like a spinal, an intrathecal involves injecting medications into your lower back. It is inserted in the lower back because the spinal cord ends above this level, making it almost impossible for the spinal needle to touch your spinal cord. In fact, at this low level the spine contains only individual nerves that float within a fluid called cerebrospinal fluid. After it is injected, the local anesthetic mixes with this fluid and temporarily prevents nerve transmission such as painful stimuli.
