Epidural Question?

I am confused about the epidural. Does the needle remain in your spine the whole time or do you just get a shot?

Thank you in advance!!

Re: Epidural Question?

I think its kind of like and IV where a tube stays in not the actual needle.
I didn't have one though so I am not the best person to answer this for you.

Re: Epidural Question?

A plastic catheter stays in your back which gives you continous pain medication.

Re: Epidural Question?

it's a very very thin plastic tube, so thin it almost seems like a little wire. The needle guides the tube in place, then the needle is removed and the tube secured with lots of tape. If you have a planned C-section though, sometimes they do a "spinal" rather than an "epidural" - the spinal is just an injection, and nothing stays inside. The difference being, the spinal will only last a certain time, but that's ok, because they know when they are going to do the C-section.