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Isn't this the reason they tilt the bed when you are having an epidural?
by pasta 9y ago
Isn't this the reason they tilt the bed when you are having an epidural?
- jbandela1 9y agoNo the reason is that an epidural affects the sympathetic nervous system which among other things is responsible for blood vessel tone. Without the tone, the capacitance of the blood vessels goes up and blood can pool in these blood vessels reducing blood pressure. Tilting can help more blood get to the heart and brain.
- oflannabhra 9y agoI’m not a medical professional, but my understanding is that an “epidural” is an injection of an anaesthetic drug (by catheter) into the epidural space. That is, the spinal canal, where the spinal cord and spinal fluid reside. The drug has a higher specific gravity than the cerebrospinal fluid, so it descends in the canal and anesthetizes the nerves along the way. If you had an epidural while upside down, it could eventually reach your brain.