Epidural For Pain Control After Surgery

An epidural is a way to give pain medicine to patients after surgery. A thin, flexible tube (a catheter) slightly thicker than a hair is inserted into an area near the spinal cord called the epidural space. The epidural space is located between the ligaments that connect your backbones and the bag that holds your spinal cord. It contains many nerve endings supplying other parts of the body. Strong pain relieving medicine is pumped through the catheter into the epidural space. The medicine blocks the pain signals normally carried to your brain, working much the same way as a wall switch does with electricity in your home. The continuous flow of medicine works to control your pain. There is no waiting for a pill or injection. This review explains how it works and how the catheter is inserted.