do epidurals hurt?

Answer 1

I've never had one personally, but i've seen hundreds done. No, they don't hurt. Not compared to the pain of the labor, for certain. The numb your back with an injection. That medicine stings and burns, but that should be all the pain you feel. When they actually put in the epidural needle, your back is already numb. You might feel a little pressure, but there shouldn't be any pain. The needle doesn't stay in, it's just a soft plastic tube the medicine runs in. Your back may feel tender or sore the next day.

Answer 2

Many women come to the hospital with the desire to do "natural child birth" and not get any drugs. However, many of the same women after a few really powerful contractions realize "natural" is not that much fun, and ask for an epidural. The contractions are far worse than the epidural.

When you get an epidural it goes like this. First you are positioned. Then some sterile drapes are applied, then your lower back is prepped with a sterile cleaning solution. More drapes may be applied. The anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist feels your hip and back bone and puts in some local anesthesia. It is usually done with a small needle so all you feel is a small stick and a slight burn when the local goes in. (What the dentist does when he numbs you up hurts more!) Sometimes they use a longer needle and numb deeper. Then they put in the epidural needle and usually tell you at this point not to move. Once the epidural needle is in place, they put a small catheter thru the needle. The needle is removed leaving the catheter behind. The sequence of the next events varies, you get a test does of a local anesthetic with adrenalin added to confirm the location of the catheter tip and the catheter is secured with a sterile dressing and tape. Then you get some boluses of a mix of local anesthesia and narcotic to get you comfortable. Do not expect to get totally numb, just comfortable. Remember, you will need to push at the right time and being totally numb prevents that. They may test the level of comfort with an alcohol wipe, or a can of freon or some other method to see what you can feel and what you can't. If after the epidural is placed and you need a C-section due to some non-life threatening problem, such as prolonged labor, they can use a more concentrated local anesthetic and make you so numb you do not feel the C-section being done. All the drugs stay in you and none go to the baby, which is why the epidural is called the GOLD STANDARD for obstetrical anesthesia.

Answer 3

Does it hurt when you get a shot? Then it will probably initially hurt when you get an epidural but not for longer than a few seconds. They numb the area first and that's the part that hurts a little bit. Likea bee sting. Then they do the epidural which feels WEIRD. The best way to describe it is like the lower part of your body going numb as someone presses their thumb nail into your spine in between two vertebrae.
I had a spinal... which is better than an epidural if you are having a c-section. A spinal feels the same way.

Answer 4

It was like getting a shot. Once the epdural medicine kicked in, I fell asleep and woke up fully dialated four hours later.

I vomited (canned tuna which I'd had for dinner - yek!) during each contraction prior to the epidural - even though they'd given me the drugs you opt for if you decide not to have an epidural.

During delivery, my legs would "fall asleep" or become numb, and that's how I figured out I was having a contraction. I cannot fathom the pain if I'd not had an epidural, however every women is different and only you can make that decision for yourself.

Answer 5

I was so uncomfortable from the contractions that I didn't even notice the lidocaine injection they gave me before inserting the catheter for the epidural. I felt a little pinch from that injection, then deep pressure from the catheter-- like someone was pressing their thumb against my vertebra--, then the tingling from the medication of the epidural. I was a little nervous about it, but compared to what I could have experienced, it was a piece of cake. I was in labor for 12 hrs, and for 10 of it I had the epidural. All I felt was a funny tingling in my legs and hips the whole time-- kinda like my body was asleep. I could still move my legs, change postitions for comfort, etc, but just felt no pain.

Answer 6

No. They just feel like something is pressing on your back real hard. It doesn't hurt though. Then after it's done and you lay down, you feel like you are tingling in your bottom. And you feel like you can handle anything. Just don't lift your head until it has completely left your body (the epidural) b/c you will get a real bad headache. Congrats on your baby!

Answer 7

That depends on the skill of the anesthesiologist who's administering the epidural. With my first one, it was horrible, almost worse than the contractions, and the anesthesiologist treated me like I was just being a wuss. With my second experience, I barely felt a thing.

Answer 8

After hours and hours of strong painful contractions while I was in labor, that epidural was a godsend! It's nothing compared to the pain of labor if you have a good anesthesiologist doing it for you!

Answer 9

i thought it was uncomfortable, but it was not nearly as bad as contractions without the epidural. which i have been through.

Answer 10

I have 2 and I don't think I would say it hurt but there was pressure and slight discomfort. But they numb you back before hand.
It over so fast than they meds kick in and you feeling ...nothing