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The spinal fluid, which surrounds and protects your nervous system, is
generally at a specific pressure. If this pressure goes up or down too
suddenly, it may cause a headache.
In this case, a test known as the lumbar
puncture or a spinal tap is required. Done under local anesthesia, the
procedure requires the doctor to remove a bit of the spinal fluid from
the spinal column using a long, thin needle.
The procedure takes about
30 minutes but the patient must lie flat for several hours afterwards to
prevent a headache. This is because if the person gets up too soon, the
spinal fluid would not have had enough time to regain the adequate
pressure.
Also, if the spinal fluid continues
to leak after a lumbar puncture it may result in a headache.
A
myelogram, used to detect a tumor in the spinal cord also utilizes a
lumbar puncture.
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