“Are epidural and nerve block the same thing?”

Epidural is a kind of nerve block. The nomenclature comes from the anatomical location where the local anesthetic is injected, is the epidural space around the spinal cord and nerves., similar to the name “dental block”

An epidural is a type of nerve block. Any procedure where local anesthetic is placed near a nerve is a nerve block. An epidural falls in the category of neuraxial nerve block.

There is only one epidural space in your body that is continuous from your brain to the bottom of your spinal cord. That is the space where local anesthetics are given to control the paint of labor and delivery and can be intensified to provide surgical anesthesia for cesarean delivery. There are many other forms of nerve blocks (interscalene, axillary, femoral, sciatic, adductor canal, and others) that can provide surgical anesthesia for limb surgery.