Answers
My daughter is having a MRI and a Spinal Tap tomorrow. I heard that the spinal taps are painful, but how painful and I was wondering if she can expect a headache? How bad will it be? How long does she have to stay at the hospital after the tap? Thank you!
If your daughter gets a headache after the spinal tap, report it immediately. The headaches can become so severe that she will throw up from just moving herself into a different position. There is no way to treat the headaches except for a blood patch (which is where they put blood in to replace the cerebrospinal fluid). No amount of painkillers with help with the headache. So watch for drainage around the site and if she starts experiencing a headache, take her back to the hospital. Usually it's an in and out procedure like a surgery.
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I have to have a spinal tap. The doctor says I have to be there 2 hours prior. How long does the actual procedure last. I took the day off that day but my fiance has to work at 3 and the procedure starts at 1. He is the only one that I have to drive me home afterwards. Will they keep me there for a little while after or should I reschedule for an earlier time?
I've had 4. The actual procedure lasts about 15-30 minutes at the most. However, they will want u to stay for 30-90 mins afterwards to make sure the puncture hole closes up.
Ive been having alot of headaches, speech and tremor problems. All my blood tests, CT and MRI are normal, he wants to do a spinal tap now. What could he be looking for? I am pretty scared.
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I have rare IgM deficiency disorder. Most doctors are not educated on the disease, and my care/illness has been hellish due to lack of further evidence.Years back many doctors thought a spinal tap test would show health problem and one was done, but the test was never run on the sample taken, and doctors were told the test was found negative when it wasn't run at all. When I discovered the error years later and learned my chronic sepsis problem could only best be shown by lumbar puncture/spinal tap testing, doctors turned me away. My care is bad due to lack of proof due to too many skeptical doctors who won't call the CDC for their treatment guidelines I seek. My neuro damage temporary or permanent? is a social and pain problem and I want help to get the test or the reccommended CDC care. IgM specialists are out of state and may or may not do the test. I'd like the proof as so many doctors disagree with the CDC info that I don't know how else to assuage their doubts.
Why you would want to go through this awful test is beyond me, but the first step is in contacting the CDC and getting the papers that you can show your doctors so you cite cases.
Drs. are very impressed by actual papers written by other doctors. Call the IgM specialists who are out of state and ask for recommendations within your state, they may know of someone they have met at a conference who has an interest in your disease. You may find that diagnosis is no longer dependent on a puncture, new things and tests are always happening, for your sake I hope so.
I am gettig a spinal tap Thursday morning and I really nervous. I am terified of needles and have heard it I very painful. Long story short this is supposed to be helping migraines and headaches. But I have heard that these can cause headaches. I just want an honest answer from someone who has gone though this or knows about it. Thanks so much!
A spinal tap is a procedure performed when a doctor needs to look at the cerebrospinal fluid (also known as spinal fluid). Spinal tap is also referred to as a lumbar puncture, or LP.
Most spinal taps can be completed within 5-10 minutes.
You are asked to lie on your side with your legs and hips bent (flexed) up toward your chest and your neck slightly bent forward. This position is often called the fetal position. (Some doctors place you in a seated position, where you lean forward and rest your arms on a tray or back of a chair. This is an acceptable alternative position.)
The doctor always wears sterile gloves and occasionally also wears a mask and gown.
The spinal tap is performed using sterile technique, meaning that everything used is sterilized to minimize any risk of infection.
The doctor next identifies landmarks on your body. Frequently, the doctor does this by feeling the top of the pelvis bone (on your side). This area corresponds with the fourth and fifth lumbar space where the needle is inserted.
A numbing medication (lidocaine) is injected first into your skin and then into the deeper tissues of your lower back to numb the area completely. This injection causes some minor discomfort, which is usually brief and has been described as a burning sensation.
You should inform the doctor at any time if you feel pain when the procedure is being performed.
The needle is then inserted in your lower back, usually at the third and fourth lumbar or fourth and fifth lumbar level. The needle passes between the 2 vertebrae to enter the space where the fluid is contained. Placing you in the fetal position allows the vertebral spaces to open more widely to make needle passage easier.
Occasionally, the doctor may measure the pressure within the fluid containing area. This does not change the procedure nor does it affect the results.
The fluid is then allowed to collect into a series of 3 or 4 vials that are then sent to the lab for evaluation.
The fluid collects passively, meaning it is allowed to drip out into each vial at its own pace. This step can take several minutes for a full specimen collection.
After the fluid is collected, the needle is removed and a bandage or small dressing is placed over the area.
After the Procedure, You may be asked to lie flat on your back for a time after the spinal tap. This is to reduce the possibility of headaches. Drinking fluids, especially caffeine products such as tea, coffee, and cola can also help to reduce headaches.
Your puncture site may be sore for 1-2 days.
As with any procedure where the skin is punctured, the area should be monitored for signs of infection. Redness, swelling, pus from the area, or tenderness to touch should prompt immediate attention from a doctor.