Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 3/19/2007

Question
Hello, I had my son four months ago and since then have had a point of
soreness/pain where the epidural was inserted. It actually feels more tender
now than it did a week after it was done. Is this normal? And when will it go
away? I've also had severe fatigue, tingling on my left side, and other
symptoms since shortly after the birth. Could this all be related?  I'm anxious
to be active again, but this back pain is holding me back. Thanks so much for
your help. Emily

Answer
The localized back pain is probably due to the epidural insertion and should go away relatively quickly. That you still have it 4 months later is unusual. If it is getting worse, you should definitely check it out to make sure there isn't an infection going on there. As for the tingling, that could be from multiple factors including the epidural, the way the babies head passed through the canal, etc. You should also get this checked out by a neurologist.

Hope this helps,

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston