Spinal headaches: Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors, Diagnosis and Treatment

Spinal headaches are a common side effect following spinal anaesthesia or a spinal tap (lumbar puncture). Both operations include puncturing the membrane surrounding the spinal cord and the lumbar and sacral nerve roots in the lower spine.

During a spinal tap, a sample of the spinal canal's cerebrospinal fluid is extracted. Spinal anaesthesia is a medication injected into the spinal canal to dull the nerves in the lower body. If spinal fluid leaks through the tiny puncture hole, it could result in a headache.

Most spinal headaches, also known as post-dural puncture headaches, resolve on their own without the need for medical attention. However, medical attention may be necessary if severe back pain persists for more than a day..

Causes Of Spinal headaches

The membrane (dura mater) that envelops the spinal cord can puncture, allowing spinal fluid to seep out and causing headaches. A headache results from this leaking, which lessens the pressure that the spinal fluid provides on the brain and spinal cord.

The majority of the time, 48 to 72 hours following a spinal tap or spinal anaesthesia, spinal headaches develop.

An additional side effect of epidural anaesthesia is occasionally a spinal headache. A spinal headache could result from an accidental puncture of the membrane enclosing the spinal cord, even when the epidural anaesthetic is given just outside of it.

Also Read: Local Anesthesia: Types, Administration And Complications

Symptoms Of Spinal headaches

Symptoms of a spinal headache include:

• The dull, throbbing pain can range in severity from moderate to extreme
• Pain that usually disappears or lessens when you lie down and usually gets worse when you sit up or stand

Frequently, spinal headaches are accompanied by:

• Lightheadedness
• Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears,
• Loss of hearing
• Double or fuzzy eyesight
• Light sensitivity (photophobia)
• Vomiting and nausea
• Stiffness or pain in the neck
• Convulsions

Also Read: Alternative Airway Devices and Adjuncts

Risk Factors Of Spinal headaches

Among the risk factors for spinal headaches are:

• Being in the age range of 18 to 30
• Being a woman
• Carrying a child and experiencing frequent headaches in the past
• Undergoing operations that require making repeated punctures in the membrane around the spinal cord or using bigger needles
• Being low in bodily mass

Also Read: Neuromuscular Blocker

Diagnosis Of Spinal headaches

The healthcare professional will examine you physically and inquire about your headache. Make sure to bring up any recent surgeries, especially any spinal anaesthesia or spinal taps.

In certain cases, the physician may suggest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to rule out alternative headache reasons. Radio waves and a magnetic field are used to produce cross-sectional pictures of the brain during the examination.

Also Read: Drugs for General Anesthesia

Treatment Of Spinal headaches

The first line of treatment for spinal headaches is conservative. Your healthcare professional can advise using oral painkillers, drinking lots of water, caffeine, and bed rest.

Your healthcare professional may recommend an epidural blood patch if your headache doesn't go away in a day or two. A tiny amount of your blood injected into the area above the puncture hole can frequently form a clot to close the hole, allowing the spinal fluid to return to normal pressure and reducing your headache. For chronic spinal headaches that don't go away on their own, this is the standard course of treatment.

Also Read: Intravenous Anesthetic Agents: Opioids, Non-Opioids

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