Therefore, the investigators propose a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study in which the investigators will compare an esmolol infusion treatment group to a normal saline infusion control group with regards to the effects on postoperative pain and opioid requirements. By setting up the study in this manner, the investigators will be able to clearly evaluate the effects of beta-blockers on postoperative pain scores and opioid requirements. The investigators chose to use esmolol both because it has a short half-life, so it is easy to titrate and administer as an infusion, and also because it is selective for beta-1 receptors, so deleterious effects of intraoperative hypotension should be minimized. The investigators chose to perform the study on patients who are undergoing single-level or double-level laminectomies because prior studies have investigated the effects of intraoperative beta-blockers on patients who are not chronic pain patients, and the investigators would like to research whether the results which have been suggested by prior studies are also applicable to patients who may have chronic pain, as this is the patients population that is most likely to experience high pain levels following surgery, and may benefit the most from reduction of postoperative pain levels.