Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSimilaritiesDifferencesIs One Better Than the Other?Which Is Safer?How to Talk to Your Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Similarities
Differences
Is One Better Than the Other?
Which Is Safer?
How to Talk to Your Healthcare Provider
Anesthesia is a process of using drugs to prevent pain during surgery or other medical procedures.Spinal and epidural anesthesia are two types of regional anesthesia used to numb a larger part of the body from the waist down.
Anepidural blockis injected into the space outside of the sac of fluid around the spinal cord called the epidural space. However, a spinal block is injected into the fluid around the spinal cord.
An epidural block is commonly used for pain management in labor and delivery and surgery in the pelvis and legs. Spinal anesthesia is often used for genital operations, hip or knee replacements, lower body procedures, andcesarean section (C-section)delivery.
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Similarities between epidural and spinal anesthesia:
Some major differences between epidural and spinal anesthesia are in the table below.
Both spinal and epidural techniques are effective regional anesthesia for labor pain. The choice of anesthetic depends on the medical procedure.
When you are heading for a C-section, your healthcare provider may give you a spinal block. It will provide an immediate onset of action and provide increased pain relief than an epidural.
Epidural steroid injections are preferred for certain types of back pain, includingsciatica.Spinal blocks are used when you need orthopedic surgery.
Both spinal and epidural anesthesia can be used to perform knee replacement surgery. However, most anesthesiologists (medical doctors/nurses specialized in administering anesthesia drugs) prefer spinal anesthesia, as it’s a less complex procedure with fewer side effects.
The pros and cons of each type of anesthesia are described below.
Epidural AnesthesiaProsUsed to deliver different medications such as corticosteroids along with anesthesiaDose can be adjusted during the procedureFewer side effects than general anesthesiaFaster recovery than general anesthesiaLonger pain reliefConsSlow onset of actionNot suitable for complex surgical procedures
Epidural Anesthesia
ProsUsed to deliver different medications such as corticosteroids along with anesthesiaDose can be adjusted during the procedureFewer side effects than general anesthesiaFaster recovery than general anesthesiaLonger pain relief
Used to deliver different medications such as corticosteroids along with anesthesia
Dose can be adjusted during the procedure
Fewer side effects than general anesthesia
Faster recovery than general anesthesia
Longer pain relief
ConsSlow onset of actionNot suitable for complex surgical procedures
Slow onset of action
Not suitable for complex surgical procedures
Spinal AnesthesiaProsRapid onsetFewer side effects than general anesthesiaFaster recovery than general anesthesiaOption for total numbness and pain reliefConsUsed to administer anesthesia drugs onlyLonger recovery timeTotal loss of sensationHeadache is severe as compared to epiduralNo dose adjustment during procedure
Spinal Anesthesia
ProsRapid onsetFewer side effects than general anesthesiaFaster recovery than general anesthesiaOption for total numbness and pain relief
Rapid onset
Option for total numbness and pain relief
ConsUsed to administer anesthesia drugs onlyLonger recovery timeTotal loss of sensationHeadache is severe as compared to epiduralNo dose adjustment during procedure
Used to administer anesthesia drugs only
Longer recovery time
Total loss of sensation
Headache is severe as compared to epidural
No dose adjustment during procedure
Epidural and spinal blocks are safe compared to general anesthesia and sedation. They are localized and have less recovery time.
Some common side effects of epidural and spinal blocks include:
Regional anesthesia, epidural, and spinal are safer than general anesthesia, but they do carry some risks:
Some rare complications are:
Precautions
Tell your healthcare provider if you have:
Ask your healthcare provider any questions regarding the anesthesia when undergoing a medical procedure.
Your provider will discuss your medical history, health habits, medications, and lifestyle to develop a safe and effective anesthesia plan.
Some common concerns that you can discuss with your OB/GYN/anesthesiologist are:
You should discuss these issues and any concerns with your anesthesiologist before surgery.
Summary
Epidural and spinal blocks are two types of regional anesthesia. An epidural block is injected into the space outside the sac (epidural space), while a spinal block is injected directly into the fluid sac.
Spinals and epidurals numb a large body region but can be used for different procedures. Both are different in their onset and duration of action.
Epidural anesthesia is used mainly for pain management for longer durations. In contrast, spiral anesthesia is used in major surgical procedures such as orthopedic surgeries and C-sections.
The anesthesiologist will determine the use of a specific anesthetic depending on the individual’s medical needs.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of General Medical Science.Anesthesia.MedlinePlus.Spinal and epidural anesthesia.Imani F, Lotfi S, Aminisaman J, Shahmohamadi A, Ahmadi A.Comparison of spinal versus epidural analgesia for vaginal delivery: a randomized double blinded clinical trial.Anesth Pain Med. 2021;11(1):e108335. doi:10.5812/aapm.108335Oliveira CB, Maher CG, Ferreira ML, et al.Epidural corticosteroid injections for sciatica: an abridged Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.Spine. 2020;45(21):E1405-E1415. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000003651Kamel I, Ahmed MF, Sethi A.Regional anesthesia for orthopedic procedures: what orthopedic surgeons need to know.World J Orthop. 2022;13(1):11-35. doi:10.5312/wjo.v13.i1.11InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Birth: Learn More –Epidurals and other medications to relieve labor pain.American Society of Anesthesiologists.Anesthesia risks.MedlinePlus.What to ask your doctor?
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of General Medical Science.Anesthesia.MedlinePlus.Spinal and epidural anesthesia.Imani F, Lotfi S, Aminisaman J, Shahmohamadi A, Ahmadi A.Comparison of spinal versus epidural analgesia for vaginal delivery: a randomized double blinded clinical trial.Anesth Pain Med. 2021;11(1):e108335. doi:10.5812/aapm.108335Oliveira CB, Maher CG, Ferreira ML, et al.Epidural corticosteroid injections for sciatica: an abridged Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.Spine. 2020;45(21):E1405-E1415. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000003651Kamel I, Ahmed MF, Sethi A.Regional anesthesia for orthopedic procedures: what orthopedic surgeons need to know.World J Orthop. 2022;13(1):11-35. doi:10.5312/wjo.v13.i1.11InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Birth: Learn More –Epidurals and other medications to relieve labor pain.American Society of Anesthesiologists.Anesthesia risks.MedlinePlus.What to ask your doctor?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of General Medical Science.Anesthesia.MedlinePlus.Spinal and epidural anesthesia.Imani F, Lotfi S, Aminisaman J, Shahmohamadi A, Ahmadi A.Comparison of spinal versus epidural analgesia for vaginal delivery: a randomized double blinded clinical trial.Anesth Pain Med. 2021;11(1):e108335. doi:10.5812/aapm.108335Oliveira CB, Maher CG, Ferreira ML, et al.Epidural corticosteroid injections for sciatica: an abridged Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.Spine. 2020;45(21):E1405-E1415. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000003651Kamel I, Ahmed MF, Sethi A.Regional anesthesia for orthopedic procedures: what orthopedic surgeons need to know.World J Orthop. 2022;13(1):11-35. doi:10.5312/wjo.v13.i1.11InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Birth: Learn More –Epidurals and other medications to relieve labor pain.American Society of Anesthesiologists.Anesthesia risks.MedlinePlus.What to ask your doctor?
National Institute of General Medical Science.Anesthesia.
MedlinePlus.Spinal and epidural anesthesia.
Imani F, Lotfi S, Aminisaman J, Shahmohamadi A, Ahmadi A.Comparison of spinal versus epidural analgesia for vaginal delivery: a randomized double blinded clinical trial.Anesth Pain Med. 2021;11(1):e108335. doi:10.5812/aapm.108335
Oliveira CB, Maher CG, Ferreira ML, et al.Epidural corticosteroid injections for sciatica: an abridged Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.Spine. 2020;45(21):E1405-E1415. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000003651
Kamel I, Ahmed MF, Sethi A.Regional anesthesia for orthopedic procedures: what orthopedic surgeons need to know.World J Orthop. 2022;13(1):11-35. doi:10.5312/wjo.v13.i1.11
InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Birth: Learn More –Epidurals and other medications to relieve labor pain.
American Society of Anesthesiologists.Anesthesia risks.
MedlinePlus.What to ask your doctor?
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