You may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit if you have suffered any serious medical condition after receiving an epidural injection, such as severe pain and paralysis.
This can occur if the epidural or spinal needle or the epidural catheter damages a single nerve, a group of nerves or the spinal cord. Contact with a nerve may cause 'pins and needles' or a brief shooting pain. This does not mean that the nerve is damaged, but if the needle is not repositioned, damage can occur.
Permanent nerve damage
In rare cases, an epidural can lead to permanent loss of feeling or movement in, for example, 1 or both legs. The causes are: direct damage to the spinal cord from the epidural needle or catheter. infection deep in the epidural area or near the spinal cord.
The risk of damage to nerves is between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 100,000. In many of these cases the symptoms improve or resolve within a few weeks or months. Nerve damage is a rare complication of spinal or epidural injection.
In its mildest form the nerve damage may cause just a small numb area or an area of 'pins and needles' on your skin. There may be areas of your body that feel strange and painful. You may also get some weakness in one or more muscles.
The signs of nerve damage
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. Feeling like you're wearing a tight glove or sock. Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs. Regularly dropping objects that you're holding.
Nerve pain often feels like a shooting, stabbing or burning sensation. Sometimes it can feel as sharp and sudden as an electric shock. You may be very sensitive to touch or cold. You may also experience pain as a result of touch that would not normally be painful, such as something lightly brushing your skin.
Seruya wants his patients to know that after a period of 12-18 months nerve damage can become permanent.
Because of where the needle and catheter need to go and its proximity to the spine, any issues with this process can cause spine or nerve injuries and back pain. In this way, an improperly administered epidural can cause back pain years later.
It's difficult to pinpoint an exact value for personal injury verdicts and settlements because each case is unique. Victims who suffer mild to moderate nerve injuries may receive up to five figures, while compensation for a victim with severe injuries can range from $100,000 to millions in damages.
It is very rare for an epidural to be improperly administered, but unfortunately it happens sometimes. When a doctor makes an epidural error and the error constitutes medical negligence, it may be possible to recover damages for any injuries that resulted.
Mothers who are given an improper epidural injection may suffer low blood pressure, cardiac arrest, seizures, or other medical emergencies that can cause injuries to a child. Any of these emergencies can deprive the child of oxygen and cause serious birth injuries.
Electromyography (EMG) is used to record the electrical activity in muscle. It can identify abnormalities in the muscles or nerves resulting from peripheral neuropathy, nerve degeneration or damage to the protective covering (myelin sheath) that surrounds the nerves in your brain or spinal cord.
If a nerve is hit, the patient will feel an immediate burning pain, which can result in paralysis or neuropathy that does not always resolve.
IV Needle Contact With Nerves and IV Insertion Injuries
Such an injury is typically followed by prolonged pain, burning and possibly numbness or loss of function.
Potential side effects of an epidural may include headache, soreness, urination problems, and a decrease in blood pressure. While long-term complications are extremely rare, they may result in permanent nerve damage and persistent numbness and tingling.
Back pain is a common side effect of an epidural, especially in the days or weeks following the procedure. Some causes of back pain after an epidural include an allergic reaction, poor positioning, or nerve damage.
The main reason is that your back and abdominal muscles are shifting back to their original before-birth position. However, this does not mean that epidural does not have disadvantages. The main symptom of epidural-related back pain is numbness or tingling around the injection area.
An MRI may be able help identify structural lesions that may be pressing against the nerve so the problem can be corrected before permanent nerve damage occurs. Nerve damage can usually be diagnosed based on a neurological examination and can be correlated by MRI scan findings.
A nerve injury can affect the brain's ability to communicate with muscles and organs. Damage to the peripheral nerves is called peripheral neuropathy. It's important to get medical care for a peripheral nerve injury as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent complications and permanent damage.
Nerve damage can become permanent
At first, neuropathy may cause occasional numbness and pain, but as it progresses, your symptoms may become more persistent. The pain may reach a high point before reaching a state of constant numbness. Once your nerves become too damaged, they can't send signals to your brain.
Peripheral neuropathy and can cause pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the upper or lower extremities. If you are living with peripheral neuropathy and it is so severe that it prevents you from earning a gainful living, you may be awarded Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.