An epidural is an anaesthetic procedure that involves injecting a medication into the space around your spinal nerves known as epidural space. The goal of this anaesthesia is to provide pain relief or a complete loss of consciousness for one region of your body including the legs or abdomen.

How Does an Epidural Anaesthesia Work?

An epidural anaesthesia works by injecting an anaesthetic into the epidural space around your spine so that it stops sending pain signals from travelling from your spine to the brain.

Why Do You Need an Epidural Anaesthesia?

You may require an epidural in the following situations:

• Pain relief from labour or childbirth.
• Anaesthesia for certain surgeries.
• Pain relief after certain surgeries.
• Pain relief from certain back pains.

What Happens During an Epidural Anaesthesia?

During this procedure, your doctor will:

• Insert a cannula into a vein in your arm to attach a medical drip.
• Ask you to lie on your side and clean the area of your back.
• Inject local anaesthetic with a small needle near the area before inserting the epidural.
• Insert the epidural needle into your back in the epidural space outside of your spinal cord.
• Thread a small tube called a catheter through the needle and into your back.
• Remove the needle so that the catheter remains in place.

What Are the Risks Associated with an Epidural Anaesthesia?

Although risks are low, you may experience:

• A drop in blood pressure may make you feel lightheaded.
• Headache.
• Infection.
• Allergic reaction to medication.
• Blood clot.
• Damage to a nerve at the injection site.
• Loss of bladder control.

Spinal anaesthesia is a procedure to deliver an anaesthetic to numb parts of your body to block the pain and given through or around your spine.

Why Do You Need a Spinal Anaesthesia?

You may require spinal anaesthesia in the following situations:

• Pain relief from labour or childbirth.
• Anaesthesia for certain surgeries.
• Pain relief after certain surgeries.
• Pain relief from certain back pains.

What Happens During a Spinal Anaesthesia?

During this procedure, your doctor will:

• Insert a cannula into a vein in your arm to attach a medical drip.
• Ask you to lie on your side and clean the area of your back.
• Inject local anaesthetic with a small needle near the area before inserting the epidural.
• Insert the epidural needle into your back in the epidural space outside of your spinal cord.
• Thread a small tube called a catheter through the needle and into your back.
• Remove the needle so that the catheter remains in place.

What Are the Risks Associated with a Spinal Anaesthesia?

Although risks are low, you may experience:

• A drop in blood pressure may make you feel lightheaded.
• Headache.
• Infection.
• Allergic reaction to medication.
• Blood clot.
• Damage to a nerve at the injection site.
• Loss of bladder control.

Peripheral nerve block refers to a procedure to prevent or manage different types of pain. This is done by injecting an anaesthetic that blocks pain from specific nerves. This is done for pain relief as a total loss of feeling during surgery.

Why Do You Need Peripheral Nerve Block?

You may need a peripheral nerve block if you have:

• Labour and delivery pain.
• Pain after surgery.
• Cancer pain.
• Arthritis pain.
• Lower back pain.
• Headaches including migraines.

What Happens During Peripheral Nerve Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Connect you to specific monitoring equipment to monitor your condition throughout the procedure.
• Clean the area and inject a dose of local anaesthetic.
• Once your skin is numb, an ultrasound will be conducted to identify the nerve and inject a nerve block in that place.
• Perform the surgery.

What Happens After Peripheral Nerve Block?

The effect of a nerve block lasts for up to 48 hours. During this type, you may not feel any pain or find yourself unable to carry on your daily tasks. Due to this, you will be required to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days after the surgery

A continuous peripheral nerve block or CPNB is a procedure that helps in managing chronic pain. This reduces the need for high doses of pain medications as well as reducing their side effects.

Why Do You Need CPNB?

You may need CPB in case of:

• Chronic back pain.
• Cancer-related pain.
• Neuropathy,
• Neck pain.
• Traumatic nerve injury.
• Trigeminal neuralgia.

What Happens During CPNB?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Perform an ultrasound and identify the nerve.
• Insert a needle next to the targeted nerve.
• Advance the needle inside to position the next to the nerve.
• The needle is removed and the catheter is inserted at the place.
• Secure the skin with a bandage. The catheter is attached to a container of pain medication that continuously injects a specified dose of pain medication into your body.

Paravertebral block refers to injecting a local anaesthetic or slowly acting steroid around the nerves out of the spine or lower back region.

What Happens During the Paravertebral Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Clean the area of the injection site with a sterilizing solution.
• Inject the local anaesthetic under X-ray control.
• Insert a small pinprick with local anaesthetic to numb the side of your back.
• Move the X-ray machine around you for around 15-20 minutes to monitor your vitals.

What Are the Risks Associated with Paravertebral Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Headache.
• Bruising at the injection site.
• Haematoma.
• Infection. 
• Allergic reaction.

Transversus abdominis plane or TAP block is a type of peripheral block that is used to anaesthetize the nerves in your anterior abdominal wall.

Why Do You Need a TAP Block?

You may need a TAP block in case of various surgical procedures, including:

• Large bowel resection.
• Caesarean delivery.
• Hysterectomy.
• Appendectomy.
• Cholecystectomy.

What Happens During TAP Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Place an ultrasound probe on your side abdomen.
• Insert a needle and advance it to your transversus abdominis muscle.
• Inject a local anaesthetic.

What Are the Risks Associated with Paravertebral Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Headache.
• Bruising at the injection site.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.
• Allergic reaction.

An interscalene block refers to a procedure of injecting a local anaesthetic around the roots or trunks of the brachial plexus. This is done to provide anaesthesia, especially for surgery related to the shoulder or upper arm.

Why Do You Need an Interscalene Block?

You may need an interscalene block if you have:

• Shoulder surgery.
• Humerus fracture.
• Clavicle fracture.
• Other arm surgery.

What Are the Risks Associated with an Interscalene Block?

Although rare, the possible risks include:

• Allergy.
• Bruising at the site of injection.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.

What Happens During an Interscalene Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Place an ultrasound probe on your shoulder.
• Insert a needle and advance it to your brachial plexus.
• Inject a local anaesthetic.

Axillary block or brachial plexus axillary block is a procedure to anaesthetize your upper limb.

Why Do You Need an Axillary Block?

You may need an axillary block if you have surgery related to:

• Forearm.
• Writst.
• Hand.

What Are the Risks Associated with an Axillary Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Infection.
• Bruising at the injection site.
• Haematoma.
• Allergy.

What Happens During an Axillary Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Place an ultrasound probe on your shoulder.
• Insert a needle and advance it to your axillary brachial plexus.
• Inject a local anaesthetic.

A femoral nerve block refers to a procedure of injecting pain medication close to your femoral nerve. The femoral nerve is one of the largest nerves in your leg that helps in the movement of hips, legs, ankles, and feet.

Why Do You Need a Femoral Nerve Block?

You may need a femoral nerve block in case of:

• Tendon repair.
• Knee replacement.
• Kneecap surgery.
• Femur fracture.
• Hip fracture.

What Happens During a Femoral Nerve Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Ask you to lie on your back.
• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your leg to locate the femoral nerve.

The popliteal fossa is found in the legs. A nerve block in this area refers to a popliteal block.

Why Do You Need a Popliteal Block?

You may need a popliteal block if you have:

• Knee surgery.
• Pain in Achilles tendon.
• Knee replacement.
• Kneecap surgery.

What Happens During a Popliteal Nerve Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Ask you to lie on your back.
• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your leg to locate the popliteal nerve.
• Inject a local anaesthetic around the popliteal nerve.
• Insert a catheter close to the nerve and inject a nerve block.

What Are the Risks Associated with a Popliteal Nerve Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Nerve injury.
• Allergic reaction.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.

Sciatica refers to a sharp pain travelling down the sciatic nerve from the lower back through the hips and gluteus muscle. A nerve block in this area stops the transmission of pain signals from the sciatic nerve and reduces pain.

What Happens During a Sciatic Nerve Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Ask you to lie on your back.
• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your lower back to locate the sciatic nerve.
• Inject a local anaesthetic around the sciatic nerve.
• Insert a catheter close to the nerve and inject a nerve block.

What Are the Risks Associated with a Sciatic Nerve Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Nerve injury.
• Allergic reaction.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.

A supraclavicular block refers to a local anaesthetic procedure during which anaesthesia is given in the upper extremities.

What Happens During a Supraclavicular Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your body to identify the specific nerve.
• Inject a local anaesthetic around the nerve.
• Insert a catheter close to the nerve and inject a nerve block.

What Are the Risks Associated with a Supraclavicular Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Nerve injury.
• Allergic reaction.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.

An infraclavicular block is administered below the shoulder.

Why Do You Need an Infraclavicular Block?

You may need an infraclavicular block if you have surgery related to:

• Forearm.
• Writst.
• Hand.

What Happens During an Infraclavicular Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your body to identify the specific nerve.
• Inject a local anaesthetic around the nerve.
• Insert a catheter close to the nerve and inject a nerve block.

What Are the Risks Associated with an Infraclavicular Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Nerve injury.
• Allergic reaction.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.

An adductor canal block refers to a procedure to block pain in your leg and knee to the ankle joint and foot.

What Happens During an Adductor Canal Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your leg to identify the femoral nerve.
• Inject a local anaesthetic around the nerve.
• Insert a catheter close to the nerve and inject a nerve block.

What Are the Risks Associated with an Adductor Canal Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Nerve injury.
• Allergic reaction.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.

A brachial plexus block refers to an anaesthetic procedure that involves the administration of a local anaesthetic either in your neck, above the collarbone, or into your upper arm.

What Happens During a Brachial Plexus Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your arm to identify the brachial plexus nerve.
• Inject a local anaesthetic around the nerve.
• Insert a catheter close to the nerve and inject a nerve block.

What Are the Risks Associated with a Brachial Plexus Nerve Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Nerve injury.
• Allergic reaction.
• Haematoma.
• Infection.

Ultrasound technology is used to guide radiologists to find the specific nerve and administer local anaesthetic and a nerve block.

The ultrasound technology allows visualization of the anatomy of the area of interest. This allows more accurate guidance for the needle pathway to the target while avoiding structures that might be damaged by the needle.

In addition, the technology also allows the visualization of the needle tip as it is passed through the tissues, confirming alignment with the intended path.

Pectoral nerve block refers to nerve block given in the chest and abdominal wall. This is mainly done during cardiac surgery.

What Happens During a Pectoral Nerve Block?

During the procedure, your doctor will:

• Inject a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm to help you relax.
• Monitor your vital signs.
• Place an ultrasound probe on your chest to identify the pectoral nerve.
• Inject a local anaesthetic around the nerve.
• Insert a catheter close to the nerve and inject a nerve block.

What Are the Risks Associated with a Pectoral Nerve Block?

Although rare, the common risks include:

• Nerve injury.
• Allergic reaction.
• Haematoma.
• nfection.