

Home » Blog » Is Increased Pain After Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Normal? Castle Connolly Top DoctorsĮpidurals are one of the most effective ways of treating pain and other issues in the spinal column. Is Increased Pain After Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Normal?

While collecting this fluid, a liquid column manometer is used to measure the pressure of the spinal fluid.Ī lumbar puncture is usually performed when meningitis is suspected, as this procedure is the most reliable tool for diagnosing the disease.Is Increased Pain After Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection Normal? OUR LOCATIONS Same-day Appointments Book Online Call to book 833.847.7463 Local anesthesia is applied on the skin of the lumbar area, after which, a needle is inserted between the appropriate lumbar vertebrae, and pushed into the spinal canal to collect the CSF.In rare cases, the process is also carried out with the patient sitting on a chair or a stool, with his head and shoulder bent forward towards the knees. The knees should ideally be bent up to the chest. Before inserting the needle, the patient is usually asked to lie down in a lateral position, with the neck and knees bent completely.A lumbar puncture typically involves the insertion of a needle between the third and fourth, or fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae, in order to collect cerebrospinal fluid.Approximately, one in a thousand cases experience the following side effects. Serious side effects of a lumbar puncture are very rare. This pain can, many a time, spread to the neck, shoulders, and the lower back. Headaches caused by a lumbar puncture are generally felt either at the front of the head or near the base of the skull, and are experienced by about 40% of people who have gone through this procedure. This eventually puts pressure on the pain-sensitive areas of the brain. However, one hypothesis says that, the brain sags due to the temporary interruption in the fluid that surrounds it. The actual reason behind experiencing the headache in not yet clear.

Young and lean women or pregnant women (18 – 30 year olds), are at a higher risk of developing a headache after a spinal puncture. Besides, specific conditions encourage administering an intravenous dose of caffeine as well. Known to contract enlarged blood vessels responsible for causing headaches, beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda serve to be potent in this regard. To complement recovery post-lumbar puncture, caffeine is one trusted pain reliever.
