Can an epidural injury cause backache and mobility problems?

Question

I have had my spine messed about with by a trainee anaesthetist and since then i am unsteady on my feet and get shooting pains up my upper thighs when i walk. My mobility has been very much affected and i put it all down to after having an epidural for pain relief in labour. The epidural went terribly wrong; and the pain i have now is the same kind of pain i had when this anaesthetist was making several punctures to my back! Is it possible that some nerves may have been damaged and if so, will i ever recover? I am having physio at present. Is there something else i can do? This is getting me really down. P L E A S E offer serious answers only, Thanks

Its been eleven months and i still cannot walk properly.

Answer 1

Yes, it is very possible that the pain you endure now is a result of nerve damage done during the epidural. Nerve damage is difficult to repair, if at all possible. There may be things that you can do to make it more tolerable though, that advice you'll need to receive from a professional after assessing the damage. I would suggest you see a back specialist, and consider seeing a lawyer.

Answer 2

Yes. I too had difficulty where the anaethesatist could not get the epidural in. That was 15 years ago and I still have terrible pain when the spot is pressed.

I had a marvelous physio about 3 years after my son was born which cured the pain. He told me that the needle had damaged the sort tissue, which had then fused together. I was still left with arthritus from the injury, but this improved to the point where I hardly notice it when I gave up coffee.

I am sorry that you are having a hard time of it. I am really hoping that it will improve as it can be miserable.

All the best

Answer 3

Im sorry about the pain you are in. Unfortunatly, i think that your discomfort could be due to the epidural. When i was pregnant with my daughter i did a lot of research into pain relief and the pros and cons of each, and one of the side effects of an epidural was that sometimes mobility can be effected because the anaesthetic is put into your spinal area which controls mobility. I dont know how long your discomfort will last and if you are having physio you are already doing the right thing to put you back on track. You could try hydrotherapy, but always check with your doctor first.
All the best for the future

Answer 4

Yeah i believe so, my mother had an epidural with me and has had back ache and similar symptoms as you, if you think about it they are injecting right into your spinal cord which is very dangerous to start with. You may recover in years to come when all the tissues and nerves have recovered also, it won't be an over night thing they take time. Continue with the physio, you have to be careful what other exercise you do with having a back injury as believe it or not your back plays an extremely important part in your daily living and if you injure it more you may end up being disabled the rest of your life. Try yoga i've heard thats good for bad back but seek advice first from a professional first or try massages sometimes they release the pressure of a bad back as well. It takes away over time all the knots. I don't really know what else to suggest.

Answer 5

It's a little of both. The epidural bruises your spine a little so that is cause for some of the ache, and the rest is your back trying to go back to normal since it has been strained for the past few months. My back is still aching from the spinal I had 13 days ago and itches like crazy in the spot where it was put in. The doctor said I may feel pain there for up to 3 months.

Answer 6

I cured my sciatica with this natural treatment ( http://cure-sciatica.info )
Normally, I would not answer a question like this as my expertise is generally in medication but I had severe sciatica while I was pregnant with my 3rd child (after having had twins) and I had sciatica so bad that I was finding it difficult to walk. I tried massage therapy and physical therapy and could not take medication
I went to the chiropractor and the pain was instantly relieved. My hips and lower back were out of alignment because I had carried twins the year before. On occasion a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) can also work but they usually only work on one joint at a time - the chiropractor will do your whole back which works faster. Anyone who does not believe in chiropractors will tell you they are quacks - don't listen.
I don't necessarily believe that chiropractors can cure things like diabetes but they can definitely relieve some types of back pain especially if a pinched nerve is involved which is usually the cause of sciatica.

Answer 7

Hi i have suffered with my bck ever since i had a epidural 9 yrs a go when i had my daughter,i have also been through hell with my bck and my legs.I now suffer with sciatica which i get very bad all the time and causes me alot off problems walking too,im on now very strong pain killers and anti inflammatry tablets too which has helped abit.I think you need to go bck and see your gp and refer you to a back consultant they are great drs thy know what they are talking about,he may send you for x-rays and have scans of your bck to,i had all this treatment and they founf out what my problem was,dont suffer babe go see your gp and demand to be referred you have rights.Best off luck.

Answer 8

My sister had an epidural and is now paralised from the waist down. I dont mean to scare you but it is serious stuff you are talking about here

Answer 9

Sounds like nerve pain or nerve damage. Best to go to doc's and tell them your aches and pains. Maybe they can referred you to a nerve specialist. Is not always poss to cure nerve damage but might be able to ease the pain. I know how you feel i suffer from nerve damage due to a spine injury. Hope this helps. good luck x

Answer 10

yes i have a few friends who have had epidurals, and they have had simular problems with backache and pains