An epidural is a pain medicine put into your back with a needle, into a narrow space just outside a tough covering around the spinal cord (that covering is called the dura). The medicine makes the lower body much less able to feel pain, but you usually stay awake.

An epidural epidural硬膜外麻醉 is a pain medicine是一種止痛藥 put into your back with a needle,用針打進你的背部 into a narrow space打進一個窄窄的空間 just outside a tough covering around the spinal cord就在包住脊髓的一層堅韌薄膜外面 (that covering is called the dura).（那層薄膜叫做dura，硬膜）。 The medicine makes the lower body much less able to feel pain,這種藥會讓下半身變得很不容易感覺到痛 but you usually stay awake.但你通常還是醒著的。

It is especially common when a woman is having a baby. Doctors also use it for some operations on the legs or belly.

It is especially common它特別常見 when a woman is having a baby.用在女性生小孩的時候。 Doctors also use it醫生也會用它 for some operations on the legs or belly.用在一些腿部或腹部的手術上。

In everyday talk, “an epidural” means that injection, or the time the medicine is working. In hospital talk it can also be an adjective: epidural space, epidural anaesthesia.

In everyday talk,在日常說法裡 "an epidural" means that injection,「an epidural」指的就是那一針 or the time the medicine is working.或藥效發揮作用的那段時間。 In hospital talk在醫院用語裡 it can also be an adjective:它也可以當形容詞用： epidural space, epidural anaesthesia.epidural space（硬膜外腔）、epidural anaesthesia（硬膜外麻醉）。

Though actually, it is not a sleeping drug for the whole body — that is a general anaesthetic — and it is not a painkiller pill. People also mix it up with a “spinal,” another needle in the back that goes a little deeper; both numb the lower body, but they are not the same shot.

Though actually,不過其實 it is not a sleeping drug for the whole body它不是讓全身睡著的藥 — that is a general anaesthetic —──那個是general anaesthetic全身麻醉── and it is not a painkiller pill.也不是止痛藥丸。 People also mix it up with a "spinal,"大家也常常把它跟「spinal」搞混 another needle in the back that goes a little deeper;那是另一種打在背部、打得更深一點的針； both numb the lower body,兩者都會讓下半身麻掉 but they are not the same shot.但不是同一種針。

Some people still feel pressure or a heavy leg when the sharp pain is gone. That surprise is common, not a failure.

Some people still feel pressure or a heavy leg有些人還是會感覺到壓力，或覺得腿很沉重 when the sharp pain is gone.即使尖銳的痛已經不見了。 That surprise is common,這種意外的感覺很常見 not a failure.不代表麻醉失敗。