MEDizzy
MEDizzy
NL
Nora Littleover 3 years ago

What is the treatment for severe cases of post-lumbar puncture (LP) headaches?

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Top rated comment
over 3 years ago

Headache following a lumbar puncture is one of the most common complications of the procedure. It is caused by the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the dura and traction on pain-sensitive structures. Patients present with frontal and occipital headaches within 24-48 hours of the procedure. The pain exacerbates in an upright position and improves in the supine position. The patient may also experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tinnitus, and visual changes. Untreated post-LP headaches can affect one's capacity to do daily tasks, and there have been cases of subdural hematoma, herniation, and death. Post-lumbar puncture headache is a self-limited condition that lasts for less than seven days and responds to analgesics and coffee (300-500 mg every 4-6 hours). An epidural blood patch, administered by an anesthesiologist or a pain expert, can be used to treat severe instances. Pencil-tip (Whitacre) needles are associated with a lower incidence of post-spinal puncture headaches than the standard bevel-tip (Quincke) needles.

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