Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 8/19/2008

Question
on the date 4/24/08...there was an question about apidural and the subject was:(child birth side effect).it is so amazing that i have exactly the same symptom..i was wondering that the lady who wrote that article find any solution to her problem,if yes would you please contact me,if not i would like to know what is the next step to solve this problems.amazingly we are both have same symptom that i could not believe,it is like i;am . writing about it please let me know what do you think.
thank you so much

Answer
I assume you refer to the answer given below. I have no followup information as to whether my answer was helpful and so can't provide any further details.
I'm sorry but if you give me further deatils of your symptoms I will let you know if I think there could be a link.
Kind regards
Dr Ian Jackson

First some important points
An epidural for pain relief during childbirth is usually inserted in your lower back around your lumbar spine. At the level it is inserted even if the anaesthetist was totally reckless and pushed the needle in too far amongst the nerves of your back the risks are still low of nerve damage. Furthermore even at the highest likely level used the area that could be affected by the needle is around your bikini line downwards and really mainly your legs.
So symptoms in other areas are more difficult to attribute to the epidural. The pain at the site of injection is quite possible from the epidural needle and there may have been a haematoma (bruise) there that has left some residual effect.
Now the only thing I can suggest is that the epidural needle may have caused a dural puncture. The Dura is the membrane that surrounds the spinal cord and contains the fluid that surrounds the nerves in your back. This fluid is cerebrospinal fluid and is produced in an area inside your brain and flows around your brain and down your spine acting as a cushion. A leak in this membrane can lead to headache, visual and hearing issues amongst other things.
Any leak usually heals within 7-10 days and then the patient feels better. This is a VERY long shot but it is possible that you may have a chronic leak from this membrane. I believe this is usually visible on MRI of they did an MRI of your lower back. However I think you would have to be looking for it.
Anyway it's a long shot but that is the only real mechanism I could see for the epidural being linked to your continuing problems.
Kind regards
Dr Ian Jackson