WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE...

...between spinal anaesthesia and epidural?

BOTH are used for pain relief and administered via the back.

Spinal anaesthesia, sometimes called a spinal block, is a single jab delivered into the dural sac, a long tube which contains the spinal cord and nerves and is filled with fluid.

It is often used prior to lower body procedures such as those involving the genitals or urinary tract. The relief is immediate and lasts for one to two hours.

An epidural is administered via a catheter – a tube that allows a constant flow of medicine into the bloodstream – into the region surrounding the spinal cord. The pain relief takes about 20 minutes to kick in and can last for several hours, which is why it is used during labour.