Spinal Headache: Recognize Its Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors

It has been observed that spinal headaches are induced in roughly 40 percent of those individuals who have undergone a spinal tap or lumbar puncture or been administered with spinal anesthesia. In either of these procedures, a puncture is done in the thick, strong membrane that encircles the spinal cord or somewhere in the lumbar, lower spine, or at the roots of the sacral nerve.

·         According to the best neurologist in India, a spinal tap procedure involves the extraction of a cerebrospinal fluid sample from your spinal canal.

·         Then again, while applying a spinal anesthesia, the nerves present in the lower part of your body are numbed through the injection of anesthetic medication.

·         You may invite a spinal headache whenever there’s a slight leakage of the spinal fluid at the site of the tiny puncture.

·         The majority of spinal headaches which are originated after a lumbar puncture heal all by their own without the need for any treatment.

·         Nonetheless, when spinal headaches assume proportions of severe magnitude and continue for more than 24 hours, they call for systematic treatment as stated by the best neurosurgeon in Gurgaon.

Symptoms

·         Widely prevalent symptoms of spinal headache include the following.

o    A dull, pulsing pain that changes in intensity from a state of mildness to debility

o    A throbbing pain that shows worsening when you stand or sit up and diminution when you lie down

o    Often, spinal headaches are tied in with the following.

o    Blurry or double vision

o    Dizziness

o    A loss of hearing

o    Nausea

o    Stiffness in the neck

o    Ringing sensation in the ears, a condition called tinnitus

Causes

·         The cause of spinal headaches, according to a leading neuro specialist, is attributed to the outflow of spinal fluid via a hole punctured on the dura mater, the tough membrane which circumscribes the spinal cord.

·         The resulting outflow is at fault in decreasing the pressure put forth by the spinal fluid on the spinal cord as well as the brain which, in turn, engenders a headache.

·         By and large, spinal headaches make plain in a span of 48 hours post the ministration of spinal anesthesia or execution of a spinal tap.

·         At times, epidural anesthesia may also precipitate the origin of a spinal headache.

·         Even though, in this scenario the injection of epidural anesthetic is done out of the dura mater, neurologist doctors affirm that a spinal headache is always likely if the membrane is punctured by chance.

Risk factors

·         Noticeable risk factors of spinal headache are likely if you:

o    Are a female

o    Are aged between 18 and 30

o    Are living through procedures that involve the use of bigger needles or numerous punctures in the tough membrane surrounding the spinal cord

o    Have a small body mass index

Inform your doctor at Paras neuro hospital, if you experience the development of a headache post the application of spinal tap or anesthesia, more than ever, if the headache becomes worse while you’re sitting or standing up.