Example of a pain chart following an epidural in labour. Each dot represents the pain experienced at the peak of a contraction. Immediately before insertion, the patient recorded a pain score of 90 out of a hundred (on a scale where 0 = no pain; I00 = the worst pain imaginable). There was no improvement in the four contractions immediately after the first dose of epidural 'cocktail', but some improvement in the fifth. The pain continued to improve until the seventh contraction, when the patient reported that the contraction was now satisfactory. Ninety minutes after the initial dose, the pain started to become 'unacceptable' again and so a further dose was given. After a further 45 minutes, the pain level suddenly increased and was accompanied by a strong urge to push. She delivered 15 minutes later! Note that the epidural provided perfectly satisfactory pain relief- despite the fact that the level of pain never fell to zero. (The threshold line which distinguishes 'acceptable' from 'unacceptable' pain is peculiar to each individual. Mine is at the very bottom! Where is yours?)