Is an epidural injection the same thing that women have for labor pain?
Not exactly. The epidural injection is certainly injected into the same space. However, for women in labor, a much larger introducer needle is used so that a catheter can be threaded into the epidural space. Then an injection and infusion of numbing medicine or local anesthetic is used to decrease the sensation of labor pain. This amount of numbing may make it difficult to walk or even move the legs. Epidural injections, on the other hand, rely primarily on the effect of a long acting steroid to relieve pain by decreasing inflammation and swelling. Very little local anesthetic is used so that there is no weakness or numbness of the arms or legs after the epidural injection.
