A member asked:

My wife gave birth under spinal epidural anesthesia. 3 days later she developed mild loss of feeling on two toe (left foot only). is it a side effect?

8 doctors weighed in across 3 answers

Unrelated to spinal: I have delivered thousands of babies to women with spinals or epidurals, and I have never seen a case of nerve damage. It can happen but is exceedingly rare. Also, if it were to happen, it would be a much larger affected area, such as an entire lower extremity. I think there must be a more distal cause. like ill-fitted shoes. Women's shoe size can go up after birth, so I would check that.

Answered 7/4/2015

2.7k views

Thank

Couple thoughts: Unlikely due to injection, but could be due to positioning at time of labor and delivery or later. Tell your doctor about this, and have him/her examine. Should depart over next few weeks, but if persistent , would recommend EMG testing.

Answered 7/4/2015

2.7k views

Thank
Dr. Lee Wittenberg answered

Specializes in Podiatry

Numbness in toes: Numbness in the toes most certainly could be a side effect of an epidural, but should not last very long after the injection/anesthesia. The numbness could be related to the injection, or she may have another pathology, such as a Neuroma, a nerve impingement near the toes. If the problem persists, see a local Podiatrist for evaluation and treatment.

Answered 7/4/2015

2.7k views

Thank

Related Questions

Sponsored Content
HealthTap Medical Group does not endorse products or services. Sponsored content revenues support our mission to make health information free and accessible to all.Learn more