Epidural anesthesia should be performed by an experienced anesthesiologist.

  Epidural anesthesia is the most common method of anesthesia, which is used in maternity hospitals. Injection of anesthesia is done in the lumbar region, its action extends to the small organs: the vagina and anus and the sensitivity of the lower part of the human body decreases. Epidural anesthesia is used during childbirth, this drug does not have a negative impact on the baby, it helps reduce blood pressure, thereby reducing blood flow to the placenta.

In what cases can this type of anesthesia be used.

Epidural anesthesia is a kind of analgesic effect on the nerve endings of the spinal cord. In the event that during labor birth the mother is not able to tolerate pain, they can apply this type of anesthesia, take a shot or put a catheter and during the fights gradually injects anesthetic. But at this time, the constant presence of an anesthesiologist is necessary, he monitors the patient's pressure.

In some cases, this anesthetic is used in surgical operations to reduce pain in the postoperative period. Some women decide to use epidural anesthesia for cesarean delivery. A woman is conscious and can see her child immediately and at the time of the operation does not feel any pain.

In using this method of anesthesia, there are contraindications: it is forbidden to apply it if a person suffers from multiple sclerosis, a nervous system disease or there are acute infectious diseases.

Epidural anesthesia is performed by an experienced anesthesiologist using a special kit.

Is it painful to do epidural anesthesia?

The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes, the woman should be completely immobile, while she takes the pose of "embryo or kitty" lying on her side or sitting leaning forward. Before inserting the catheter, the area between the vertebrae in the lower back is anesthetized, pinching this place (according to pain, the procedure can be compared with a prick in a vein). Then the doctor, using a set for epidural anesthesia, introduces a needle between the vertebrae. In order to make sure that the needle has come to the right place, the anesthetist conducts a test pulling the syringe, if it does not receive blood or cerebrospinal fluid, then the needle is in the right place.

Then the anesthesiologist is inserted into the needle by the catheter, up to the level of the roots responsible for the sensitivity of the lower half of the body. After that, the needle is removed, the catheter is fixed to the back and a trial injection of the drug is conducted to check whether there are any allergic reactions in a woman to anesthesia. After that, the necessary dose is introduced, approximately by the time it lasts about half an hour, then, if necessary, the preparation is repeated.

After a while the woman ceases to feel pain in the bouts, improves labor activity. A woman should be under constant supervision of midwives. If a woman in labor has a high blood pressure, then after the injection of the drug, it becomes normal, and if before the introduction of anesthesia it was lowered, you will be given a dropper to increase the blood volume. All these drugs do not have a negative impact on the child.

In some cases, complications may occur after epidural anesthesia.

-Head pain can appear, due to the defeat of the walls of the medullary membrane, it can last for 1-2 weeks.

-In case if sterility is broken during anesthesia, inflammation at the injection site may occur.

-Also during the introduction, blood pressure may drop sharply and a disturbance in the work of the heart may occur.

With proper manipulation, side effects or complications rarely occur.