Epidural side-effects - long term

I had an epidural and since then I've had some issues with the site. Not huge issues, and I read once that eidurals often have long-term side-effects, so thought nothing of it.

But with so many pain relief threads out and about at the moment I thought I'd just put it out there and find out if this is actually normal. No I haven't seen a dr because it isn't a huge thing just a minor discomfort occassionally.

I do yoga, and am quite flexible. I used to be able to do back stretches, and the full cobra (hand on knees, feet on the crown of my head), but since having Jazz and the epidural, I have a spot in my back (right where the epidural was) that I just can't stretch past. I feel 'locked'.

Like I said, not a major thing, but still it's annoying. Do you think this is epidural related? They tried a few times to get a spinal block in around the same place before the c/s, but time ran out so they just topped up the epidural. Could the repreated attempts at a spinal have damamged something? I don't know? Maybe it's completely unrelated? Could an epidural cause this kind of limiting feeling, like I can't stretch past a certain point? I thought it might sort itself out but it's been 2.5 years almost, and it hasn't?

Oh yeah, and for future reference for others what are the long-term side-effects of an epidural?

Hi hon, I don't really know as I didn't have an eipdural but I do believe that in some cases it can cause damage like you have talked about. I would suggest seeing a chiropractor as that area is bound to be subluxated and causing nerve interference.

No idea if it is normal, I would consider it a side effect of the epi. But I didn't have any side effects from mine as far as I can tell, so not sure.

I would however go and see an acupuncturist and a proper Chinese remedial massage therapist... they may very well be able to clear it for you and give you back your full range of motion.

My accupuncturist is good, but he's Brisbane Bayside.. might be a bit far :)

I had the same thing from DS and then a hematoma (sp?) developed after DD1's c-section. I still have it in my back, but its not as pronounced 2.5 years later. I think they are a common side effect, my chiro sometimes works on my back and tries to loosen it all up and it bloody hurts, but I remember for about 18 months after my section with DS that I couldn't lie on my back on a hard floor or sit against a wall because it would hurt too much in that area.

I got a sore back in the car on the epidural site for over a year after DS was born. And there is still a numb patch on my heal that I am sure wasn't there before the epidural.

My acupuncturist is also wonderful and is in Mapleton. So if you wanted to take a day trip up that way and have a look around Montville etc he would be fantastic to see. His website is holistic acupuncture dot com dot au I just had a look and on his home page he mentions epidurals

My friend felt she couldn't rotate her lower back properly and she's doing both chiro and acupuncture at regular intervals. She felt like there was a strap around her lower back preventing her from twisting. Apparently the chiro and accupuncture help

HTH