Epidurals do not cause chronic backache

Epidurals are not associated with long term backache, according to a study of 306 women in Staffordshire followed up two years after giving birth. Howell and colleagues (p 357) found that self reported low back pain, disability, limitation of movement, and measurements of spinal mobility did not differ significantly between women who received epidural pain relief and women who received other forms of pain relief during labour.