Back pain after birth after PDA
Back pain after a birth with an epidural is no more frequent than after births with other pain-relieving drugs. However, slight pain can cause bruising at the injection site after the epidural has been inserted, but this will subside after a few days.
Duration of an epidural at birth
The preparation of the PDA and the placement of the pain catheter usually takes 10 minutes if the patient cooperates well. However, since in most cases the woman waits for a break in labor to allow her to stay still, the insertion of the catheter may take a few minutes longer. The analgesic effect of the anesthetic starts after a few minutes, its maximum is reached after about 15 minutes.
The effect usually lasts for 2-3 hours, the anesthesia subsides completely after 4 hours at the latest. In order to ensure a longer lasting effect during the contractions, which often last longer, a catheter is usually inserted, through which painkillers can be injected as needed at any time without having to repeat the procedure. The duration and strength of the anesthesia can thus be individually adapted to the patient’s needs.
Preparation for the PDA
The PDA is created in a sitting or lateral position. The skin is disinfected and the puncture site is locally anesthetized so that the puncture itself is hardly noticeable. The patient is asked to bend her back and relax her shoulders.
Procedure of the PDA
In the lower part of the spine, the area between two spinous processes is palpated and a hollow needle is inserted there, which is connected to a syringe filled with liquid. If this liquid can be injected without resistance, the ligaments between the vertebral bodies have been passed and the syringe is located in the epidural space, i.e. between the vertebral bodies and the hard skin of the spinal cord. Then a small tube, the catheter, is inserted through the hollow needle, through which the painkiller can be administered at any time.
The needle is removed and a dressing is applied.The procedure is usually not painful and usually only a pressure is felt in the back area when the needle is inserted. The first dose of painkillers is usually a test dose, a small amount of painkiller to test the effect on the patient. Attention is also paid to a reaction of the blood pressure and the effects on mobility. If everything is within the normal range, a larger amount of anaesthetic can be administered.
