Going under the needle: could trendy tattoos stand in your way of getting an epidural
Suzanne Hoyle
Issue date: 4/14/05 Section: Spectrum
Have you heard the rumor that having lower back tattoos prevents people from receiving epidurals? If you have a lower back tattoo or are thinking about getting one, you may want to first consider the consequences.
The controversy has led women, tattoo artists and doctors to question the safety of administering epidurals to pregnant women who have lower back tattoos.
Keeunsha Burreil, psychology major, heard the rumor, but proceeded to get a tattoo on her lower back.
"It's just a rumor," Burreil said. "I still wanted to get the tattoo."
Although epidurals are administered to patients with spinal injuries, such as herniated disks and spinal diseases, they are more commonly used on women to alleviate pain during childbirth.
A large, hollow needle injected into the spinal canal, an epidural administers medication to the patient.
Sophomore English major, Michelle Anderson, said her girlfriends have all heard the rumor that lower back tattoos limit a patient's choice to receive an epidural.
In June 2003, Anderson visited a tattoo parlor in Northern Virginia and asked if the rumor was true. She said two tattoo artists at the parlor could neither confirm nor deny the rumor. They told Anderson it was her decision whether to get a lower back tattoo or not.
"Because of that, I did not get one on my back," Anderson said.
River City Tattoo artist, Max Wetzel, said people ask him a couple of times a week if a lower back tattoo would prevent them from getting an epidural. People have told him they were refused an epidural because of lower back tattoos, he said.
"There's nothing in the ink that's harmful," Wetzel assured.
Wetzel uses powdered, food-grade pigment, known as ink, for his tattoos. Black ink, which he said is the safest color to use, is made up of carbon and water.
"It's completely harmless," Wetzel said. "I tattooed a doctor who said there's no medical reason not to give an epidural."
The controversy has led women, tattoo artists and doctors to question the safety of administering epidurals to pregnant women who have lower back tattoos.
Keeunsha Burreil, psychology major, heard the rumor, but proceeded to get a tattoo on her lower back.
"It's just a rumor," Burreil said. "I still wanted to get the tattoo."
Although epidurals are administered to patients with spinal injuries, such as herniated disks and spinal diseases, they are more commonly used on women to alleviate pain during childbirth.
A large, hollow needle injected into the spinal canal, an epidural administers medication to the patient.
Sophomore English major, Michelle Anderson, said her girlfriends have all heard the rumor that lower back tattoos limit a patient's choice to receive an epidural.
In June 2003, Anderson visited a tattoo parlor in Northern Virginia and asked if the rumor was true. She said two tattoo artists at the parlor could neither confirm nor deny the rumor. They told Anderson it was her decision whether to get a lower back tattoo or not.
"Because of that, I did not get one on my back," Anderson said.
River City Tattoo artist, Max Wetzel, said people ask him a couple of times a week if a lower back tattoo would prevent them from getting an epidural. People have told him they were refused an epidural because of lower back tattoos, he said.
"There's nothing in the ink that's harmful," Wetzel assured.
Wetzel uses powdered, food-grade pigment, known as ink, for his tattoos. Black ink, which he said is the safest color to use, is made up of carbon and water.
"It's completely harmless," Wetzel said. "I tattooed a doctor who said there's no medical reason not to give an epidural."
