Pain Relief in Labor

• Local anesthetic medications that numb the vaginal area
  
• Regional anesthetics (spinal or epidurals) that ease the pain of contractions
  
• General anesthesia which puts you to sleep and is typically reserved for emergency C-sections

You should discuss your pain relief options with your physician prior to labor and delivery, and make your preferences known to your caregivers.

Pain relieving medications are sometimes given to women in the early stages of labor to reduce discomfort. Though these medications do not completely stop pain, they do lessen the severity of it and are a good option for women who want a more natural birthing experience.

Spinal vs. Epidural
Spinal anesthetic is very similar to epidural anesthetic. During a spinal, medication is injected directly inside the coating that surrounds the spinal cord. Spinals are generally used for cesarean sections and typically work faster than epidurals.

When medication  is placed around  the spinal column, outside of the sac surrounding the spinal cord it is called an epidural . An epidural may have fewer side effects than a spinal, which may cause a headache and reduced blood pressure.

Your health care provider can help select the best type of pain relief for you based on your health and how well your labor is progressing.

An epidural or spinal will be injected into a precise location in your back. With the epidural a tiny tube is inserted into the back that will provide continuous pain relief throughout labor. Related information found at 30 weeks pregnant.

Effects of Spinal and Epidural
An epidural generally starts working within 10 to 20 minutes after injection. Spinal medication generally works immediately.
Most women will still feel mild pressure from their contractions with a epidural anesthetic, but should not be in pain.

For some women contractions may slow down after regional anesthesia is injected for a short period of time. This may actually benefit women by helping them relax and rest prior to the vigorous pushing phase of labor.

Side Effects
There are some side effects of regional anesthesia. More common side effects and complications may include:

• Low blood pressure - your blood pressure may drop as a result of anesthetic use; your physician will generally provide intravenous fluids and monitor your blood pressure to prevent a serious problem.


• Itching - some women experience itching as a result of anesthetic use.


• Headache- this is more common during a spinal anesthetic. Your anesthesiologist can offer additional medication or pain tablets to help relieve the pain.


• Local reaction - some women will have a local reaction to an anesthetic. This type of reaction is usually rare, but can be very serious. Signs or symptoms you should notify your anesthesiologist of include dizziness or ringing in your ears.