Difference Between Epidural and Spinal

Back to epidurals and spinals: The main difference is the placement. With an epidural, anesthesia is injected into the epidural space. With a spinal, the anesthesia is injected into the dural sac that contains cerebrospinal fluid. The direct access means that a spinal gives immediate relief.

What is the difference between a spinal and an epidural anesthesia?

What's the difference between a spinal and epidural and a combined spinal-epidural? ... The space around this sac is the epidural space. Spinal anesthesia involves the injection of numbing medicine directly into the fluid sac. Epidurals involve the injection into the space outside the sac (epidural space).

Do you get a spinal or epidural for C section?

A cesarean is done with a spinal block or epidural anesthetic. If you've been laboring and a cesarean is needed, you may already have an epidural, so that can be used. If a scheduled cesarean is being done, a spinal is used to provide a faster block for the procedure.

Is a spinal or epidural safer?

Spinal blocks work faster than epidurals, and a smaller amount of anesthetic medication is needed. General anesthetics can be done faster, so they are used if the operation is an emergency, or if the woman can't have a regional anesthetic.

Does an epidural go into your spine?

A needle is used to insert a fine plastic tube called an epidural catheter into your back (spine) near the nerves that carry pain messages to your brain. The needle is then removed, leaving just the catheter in your spine. You may feel mild discomfort when the epidural needle is positioned and the catheter is inserted.

Is spinal anesthesia better than general?

However, general anesthesia is commonly preferred because of its faster onset of action [2]. Spinal anesthesia is also associated with a better control of postoperative nausea and vomiting [7] and a higher possibility of early discharge [8, 9].

Can a spinal block paralyze you?

Nerve blocks can cause serious complications, including paralysis and damage to the arteries that supply blood to the spinal cord.

What does spinal block feel like?

What it feels like: You may feel some stinging when numbing medicine is first injected into the site, but the spinal block itself doesn't hurt. You may feel pressure, though, and as the spinal starts working you'll feel numbness and loss of movement in your feet, then your legs, up to your waist.

Does a spinal for C-Section hurt?

Although there is no pain, there may be a feeling of pressure as the needle is being inserted. For a spinal block, a physician anesthesiologist injects medication into the spinal fluid through a needle inserted in the lower back.

How long does spinal block last?

Spinal anaesthetic usually lasts between 1 to 3 hours. The anaesthetist will stay with you throughout your surgery monitoring the level of drugs in your body and making sure they take effect for the duration of your procedure.

What are the disadvantages of spinal anesthesia?

Risks

• Allergic reaction to the anesthesia used.
• Bleeding around the spinal column (hematoma)
• Difficulty urinating.
• Drop in blood pressure.
• Infection in your spine (meningitis or abscess)
• Nerve damage.
• Seizures (this is rare)
• Severe headache.

What vertebrae does an epidural go between?

Epidural Space Block

The epidural space is between the dura and the posterior longitudinal ligament anteriorly and posteriorly between the vertebral laminae and the ligamentum flavum. The vertebral pedicles and intervertebral foramina form the lateral limits of the epidural space.

How long after epidural can you walk?

Most of the time, you can walk within a half hour or so of your epidural injection. However, you will not necessarily be walking normally at this point. Most clinics and hospitals monitor you for 15 minutes to an hour after an epidural injection. During this time, they will likely ask how you feel.

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