A patient who is receiving continuous epidural analgesia should not be offered a back massage for what reason?

When considering a patient receiving continuous epidural analgesia, the rationale for not offering a back massage lies primarily in the heightened sensitivity and potential vulnerability of certain areas of the body. The epidural analgesia leads to a temporary loss of sensation and muscle control in the lower body, which may increase the risk of injury if pressure is applied to these sensitive regions.

Back massages can inadvertently apply pressure where sensation is diminished, potentially causing discomfort or even harm to the patient. This is particularly important when considering that the area may not respond normally to stimuli due to the analgesic effects, thereby putting the patient at risk for injury without their immediate awareness.

The other considerations related to pain exacerbation, interference with analgesic effects, and infection risk are important in other contexts but are not the primary reasons one should avoid back massage in this scenario. The focus on protecting sensitive areas underscores the importance of patient safety in the context of epidural analgesia.