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Complications of spinal and epidural anesthesia include neurologic
changes, headache, backache, and cardiac arrest. Backache and headache
are quite common after vaginal delivery. When associated with these
techniques, backache and headache are usually transient in nature.
Epidurals also carry risk associated with the fact that more medication
has to be given for epidural anesthesia. If this medication is given
into a blood vessel or into the spinal fluid, seizures or temporary
paralysis may occur. In an effort to prevent these complications, the
anesthesiologist may administer a small "test dose" of medication and
then gives epidural medications in small, repeated increments rather
than in one large dose.
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