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Headaches since epidural
by Nicola911, Oct 21, 2008 09:06AM
Hi, 9 weeks ago i had an epidural for the pain relief of a casearean. Since then i have suffered terrible headaches and vomitting nearly everyday. My vision as been affected and for 2 weeks now i have been getting a numbness in my fingers and face. What do you think is vcausing these symptoms?
Regards Nicola
Regards Nicola
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Moderate to sever headache following epidural analgesia is seen in approximately 1% of women. This is generally happens if the duramater got pierced during the procedure, causing a leakage of cerebrospinal fluid into the epidural space. Approximately 1% of women will experience a moderately severe to very severe headache following epidural analgesia.
This fluid leak can cause a ‘low pressure’ headache as the continuous leakage results in the pressure around the brain and spinal cord becoming lower than usual. The headache is typically felt in the front or back of the head and neck. It gets worse upon sitting or standing up and is generally relieved in a lying posture. It usually develops within a few (15-18 hours) of the procedure and lasts for 4-5 days till the puncture gets sealed on its own. Rarely, it may last longer.
You should consult your doctor for a proper management. General measures include bed rest, drinking plenty of fluid, caffeine and simple analgesics, such as paracetamol. If these fail then the most effective treatment is a ‘blood patch’, where via another epidural, the hole is patched up.
Take care.