The side effects of epidural injections after childbirth should be noted

Epidural injections are generally given to mothers who are about to give birth or give birth. This aims to launch a labor process that is known to be painful and full of struggle for mothers. However, before deciding to use epidural injections, you must first know what side effects postpartum mothers may experience. Besides, are there other risks that could occur? Look carefully at the following reviews.

What are epidural injections?

An epidural injection is a form of local anesthetic injection that numbs a specific part of your body. Epidurals will not make you lose consciousness completely, because their function is only to relieve pain (analgesia). When you are given an epidural, your spinal sensory nerve impulses will be stopped.

Sensory nerves are responsible for sending various signals to the brain, such as pain or heat. As a result, the sensation or pain that you should feel in the lower part of the body, more precisely in the uterus, cervix, and upper part of the vagina will be reduced. However, your motor nerves will still be working properly so your brain can still send commands for your pelvis and other parts of your body to contract.

There are two types of prenatal epidural injections. You can see more details below.

1. The usual epidural injection

This type of epidural injection is usually given by injection into the back of the mother through the back muscle until the analgesia reaches the epidural cavity. Ordinary epidurals contain drugs that will strengthen the action of the anesthetic, such as fentanyl or morphine. If the epidural effect begins to diminish within one to two hours, the mother will get the next injection.

2. Combination of spinal epidurals

In combination epidural spinal injections, usually an anesthetic drug is injected into the membrane that lines the spine until it reaches the epidural cavity. Then, a tube or catheter will be placed in the line so that it is easier to inject again if the mother needs it.

Mothers who are about to give birth are also still able to move freely after the catheter is inserted so that they will not interfere with the delivery process. The spinal epidural combination will usually begin to lose its effect after four to eight hours.

Side effects of epidural injections are common

Sometimes, a person will feel numbness, tingling or, weakening of movement in the area of the body that previously received the epidural injection. The side effect of epidural injections which makes movement weak and numb the body part will disappear slowly according to the lessening of the injection anesthetic.

The side effects of epidural injections during childbirth can also cause nerve damage caused by contact with an epidural needle or tube called an epidural catheter. Luckily, this symptom is seldom known and has little effect.

But when they do occur, these side effects are generally more often caused by factors that are not related to the epidural injection itself. This effect can result from pressure on the nerves in the pelvis when the baby is born or nerve pressure from maintaining a certain body position for a long time during surgery.

There is no treatment for these minor epidural side effects, and they usually resolve on their own within the next few months.

Serious side effects of epidural injections

It is rare to find serious side effects of epidural injections during childbirth. The reason is, this type of injection has been declared safe for mothers who give birth.

However, there are some risks that might occur. Examples include weakening or paralysis of certain body parts, changes in bowel function, or even the bladder.

These side effects are caused by very rare complications, such as bleeding or infection in the epidural space, which causes an epidural hematoma or abscess (accumulation of pus). Pressure from accumulated blood or pus damages the spinal cord and surrounding nerves can also put you at risk of epidural injections.