Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 3/1/2007

Question
I was given an epideral with the birth of my daughter in October of 04. Since then I have had massive pains in my back so bad that I go up to a week without sleep. They don't know what causes it or how to stop it. The doctors said that it is just muscle spasms, they had nothing to do with my epideral and that they would go away. It has been 2 1/2 years and they are worse now.  Now I get numbness and terrible pains in my arms and my hands go numb especially my right one. When they did my epideral they had to shift the needle b/c my vertbrae aren't aligned the way they  should be but when they moved the needle I heard it scrape the bone. Could the epideral have caused the backpain and could the backpain be causing the numbness. How do I fix this. I can't even pick up my child it is so bad. Thank you for your time.  

Answer
Hi Randi
The truth is that this is extremely unlikely to be related to your epidural. Unfortunately a large number of woman have back problems following childbirth. Much of this is due to the various changes that take place around your body caused by changes in your hormones, however it is likely that the lifting of infants from awkward positions also has an effect.
It would be very difficult to link an epidural to pains in your upper back and arms and so I have to agree with your doctors.
However it is important for you to move away from this idea of a link and start to ask what is causing your problems. For example the numbness in your arms may be linked to something called carpal tunnel syndrome which can easily be treated.
I wish you all the best
Dr Ian Jackson