Spinal Headaches

Spinal headaches are a common side effect of procedures that involve a needle going into the lower part of your spine. These procedures include spinal taps (lumbar punctures) and spinal anesthesia. Both involve puncturing the protective layers around your spinal cord and nerves in your lower back.

A spinal tap takes a sample of the fluid that cushions your brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid) from the space around the spinal cord. Spinal anesthesia injects medicine into the same space to numb the nerves in the lower part of your body. If a little bit of this fluid leaks out through the tiny hole made by the needle, you might get a spinal headache.

Many of these headaches go away on their own. They are often called post-dural puncture headaches. Usually, they don't need any special treatment. However, if the headache is very bad and lasts for more than a day, you should talk to a doctor.

A spinal headache is a type of headache that can happen after a spinal tap or procedure using spinal anesthesia. It's characterized by a dull, throbbing pain that can range from a light ache to a very intense pain. Crucially, this pain often gets worse when you sit up or stand, and it usually improves or goes away when you lie down.

Along with the headache, you might experience other symptoms. These include:

• Dizziness: Feeling lightheaded or unsteady.
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus): A constant buzzing or ringing sound in your ears.
• Hearing loss: Difficulty hearing sounds clearly.
• Blurred or double vision: Seeing things out of focus or seeing two images of the same object.
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia): Feeling uncomfortable or even painful from bright light.
• Nausea and vomiting: Feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up.
• Neck pain or stiffness: Pain or tightness in your neck muscles.
• Seizures: Uncontrolled muscle contractions that can cause unusual movements or behaviors.

If you experience a headache, especially one that worsens when you sit up or stand, after a spinal tap or spinal anesthesia, it's essential to tell your doctor right away. This is important because a spinal headache can sometimes be a sign of a problem needing medical attention.

If you get a headache after a spinal tap or spinal anesthetic, tell your doctor right away, especially if the headache worsens when you stand up.

Spinal headaches happen when spinal fluid leaks out of a small hole in the covering around the spinal cord (dura mater). This leak lowers the pressure of the spinal fluid on the brain and spinal cord, which can cause a headache.

These headaches usually start 2 to 3 days after a spinal tap (a procedure where a needle is inserted into the lower spine) or spinal anesthesia (a type of pain relief during a medical procedure). Sometimes, they can also occur after epidural anesthesia. Epidural anesthesia uses a needle placed outside the covering of the spinal cord, but a leak can still happen if the covering gets accidentally punctured.

Spinal headaches can happen to anyone, but some people are more likely to get them. Here are some factors that increase the chance of a spinal headache:

• Age: Being a young adult, between 18 and 30, can slightly increase your risk. This is likely because the spine and its surrounding tissues are still developing or changing in this age range.

• Gender: Women are more prone to spinal headaches than men. Hormonal fluctuations, especially during pregnancy, might play a role.

• Pregnancy: A developing baby and the changes in a pregnant woman's body can affect spinal fluid and increase the risk of a spinal headache.

• Headache History: If you've had frequent headaches in the past, you might be more susceptible to a spinal headache. This could be because your body's response to pain or pressure is different.

• Medical Procedures: Procedures that involve many small needles or punctures near the spinal cord (like some spinal taps or injections) can create a small leak in the fluid that cushions the spinal cord. This leak can cause a spinal headache.

• Body Size: People with a smaller body mass index (BMI) might have a slightly higher risk of spinal headaches. This is because the fluid around the spinal cord might be more easily disturbed or affected in individuals with less body mass.

It's important to remember that these are just some possible factors. If you experience a spinal headache, it's crucial to talk to a doctor to figure out the cause and get the best treatment.

To figure out what's causing your headache, the doctor will first ask you questions about it and do a physical check-up. Tell them about any recent medical procedures, especially if you had a spinal tap or spinal anesthesia.

Sometimes, the doctor might suggest an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. An MRI uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to create detailed pictures of your brain, allowing the doctor to see if there are any other problems that could be causing the headache. These pictures show slices or cross-sections of your brain, providing a clear view of its different parts.

Spinal headaches usually start with simple treatments. Your doctor might suggest resting in bed, drinking lots of fluids, having some caffeine, and taking over-the-counter pain medication.

If your headache doesn't get better within a day, your doctor might recommend an epidural blood patch. This involves injecting a tiny amount of your own blood into the area around the spot where the spinal fluid leaked. This helps form a blood clot that seals the leak, which restores the normal pressure of the spinal fluid and should ease the headache. This is a common treatment for spinal headaches that don't go away on their own.

If you're experiencing a spinal headache, please schedule an appointment with your doctor.