BACKGROUND: Postoperative patients frequently associate postoperative backache with epidural anesthesia administered for the operation. Epidural steroids are often used for the treatment of low back pain. We performed this study to compare the effect of epidural triamcinolone on the incidence and severity of postepidural backache after cesarean section. METHODS: Eighty patients scheduled for cesarean section under epidural anesthesia using 2% lidocaine received 40 mg of triamcinolone (n=40) or 1ml of normal saline (n=40) epidurally via indwelling catheter after delivery. Backache were checked preoperatively and 24, 48, 72hr postoperatively using VAS score. A patient was considered to have postepidural backache when the postoperative VAS score was higher than the preoperative score. RESULTS: The incidence and severity of postepidural backache were much less in triamcinolone group than in control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Epidural triamcinolone has a preventive effect on postepidural backache in cesarean section patients.