Pain Management
Wellnes

A doctor can place a small soft tube in your epidural space in your back. That space is close to the nerves that sense pain. It may not be possible to relieve all of your pain but medicine put in the epidural space usually gives you very good pain control. You should be able to take deep breaths, cough, move about, and rest.

Usually the epidural tube is put in just before you go into the operating room. This lets the doctor give you some pain medicine before you wake up as well as in the days after your surgery.

The rate for the pain medicine can be turned up or down, depending on how you respond. Your nurse will be looking for signs that the rate needs to be changed. If you are too sleepy, the rate may need to be turned down. If you are not getting enough pain relief, the rate may need to be turned up or maybe another drug will be used.

You may not have these side effects of pain medicine. If you do the doctor can give you another medicine that will control the sick feeling or itching. Tell your nurse about this right away as it is easier to treat when it is mild.

Placing the pain medicine into the epidural space usually provides a better quality of constant pain relief than other methods of analgesia . Also, lower doses of the drugs can be used than with other routes such as IV or IM "shots." This helps to avoid some side effects such as nausea and excessive sleepiness.

Yes, the epidural tube will be connected to a pump that can be hung on a "rolling pole" so you can move about. Your doctor will say when you can get out of bed after your surgery and your nurse will help you.

Your doctor will talk with you about the best time to stop the epidural pain medicine. This depends on what kind of surgery you have had and how soon you are able to drink liquids. It does not hurt for the doctor or nurse to take the epidural tube out.

A doctor can place a small soft tube in your epidural space in your back. That space is close to the nerves that sense pain. It may not be possible to relieve all of your pain but medicine put in the epidural space usually gives you very good pain control. You should be able to take deep breaths, cough, move about, and rest.