I had a Lumbar Puncture 2 months ago to rule out meningitis and it turned out to be negative. I was admitted to the hospital for extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, and headaches. I was diagnosed with migraines and the lumbar puncture was just one of the many tests that they ran. The procedure itself took about 10 to 15 minutes and was very painful, however unlike a lot of the stories on here the doctor didn't miss or have to stick me several times in order to get my spinal fluid. They had me laying down flat on my stomach and used an x-ray to find where where he was going. After the procedure the tech. that helped the doctor told me to move myself to the other bed so that I could be transferred to my room as I was being admitted for further testing. The doctor told me to lay down on my back and be completely still for four hours which I did. I only sat up in my bed after the 4 hours were up however about 3 hours after I did sit up, I was in extreme pain in my back. I never had a headache after the spinal tap apart from the Migraines that they diagnosed me with but it did not result from the spinal tap. It has now been 2 months since this has happened and I have still not been back to work because I cannot bend over at all. My pain is from the puncture site in my lower back and shoots up my spine to up upper back and neck. It also will shoot down my right leg from time to time. Sitting is the absolute worst for me it, I can stand for a little while before it starts to hurt me really bad. A week after I had the spinal tap, I went to a pain clinic and had a MRI done to make sure that my spine is not leaking and its not. I am now in physical therapy twice a week and it does help but only while I am there. My doctors and my PT have never seen anything like this. Has anyone experienced anything like this?
Hi Autumn
I too have had a lumbar puncture done two days ago for possible aneurysm but thankfully fluids came our clear. I also never had any follow headaches but a very sore back. I asked my consultant when will the pain stop he replied usually a few days after the LP but if it continues after a week consult with my GP for further advise.
Maybe your GP can investigate why the pain is lingering. I'm hoping my back pain doesn't last and pray you recover soon.
I know this is months later but can you tell me if it ever got better? I had one lumbar puncture a year ago and felt perfectly fine almost immediately. Then this time i had another 4 weeks ago and i am in pain since. My back, my neck, and i do get headaches. The tension in my neck and back is the worst though. I thought maybe since its been sometime you can share some insight if it gets better. Thank you
Hi Summer, its been 7 months today since I had the LP and I am still in pain but not near as much. After about 3.5 or 4 months the pain in my back and neck started to localize in my upper back and neck. It did get better but I am still not where I was before this started. I still can't bend over all the way without being in extreme pain. It took me a long time to even get any doctors to believe me because this is so abnormal to happen after a LP. I am still not working because I can't bend over all the way or pick up objects. Something did happen because of this though. I was diagnosed almost 2 months ago with fibromyalgia. Now they aren't certain about what causes Fibro but, they think it can come from Physical or emotional trauma with the pain for 7 months did. So i believe that the LP caused me to have fibromyalgia. If you are still hurting go back to your doctor because something is wrong. You shouldn't be hurting like this after a LP.
Thank you. Although not what i wanted to hear i thank you for replying. I have been to my neurologist as well as the er where it was done they all just keep saying give it time. Its been to much time though. It is pretty scary.
I too am having moderate back pain after LP. 
I can’t believe I let them touch my spine. I also have awful neck and head pain. It’s been 2 months since my LP. It feels worse when sitting like so much pressure up my spine
Yes, agree. Sitting does make it worse. I have that same feeling. I did find a neurologist who now saif even though its late doesn't mean they cant do a blood patch. So they teied one that day but they couldnt get blood from me. Only got 4cc and needed more. They said my blood kept clotting before they could get to put it in. Thwy are going to attempt again next week. In the mean time they gave me a pain pill that helps but isnt great and said they can do spinal injectables for back pain but i don't really want that. I almost feel like its to high pressure not low like a leak but she thinks its a leak. I told her if you are wrong and no leak will it make my pressure higher? She said no just circulates through. It really is an awful feeling though. I am sorry you feel this way as well. I can't even sit for my 8 hours a day job. Its been a struggle. Just hope one day i become normal.
What are your other symptoms Summer? I have extreme neck and back of head pain as well as developed hyperacusis which is severe pain in my ears please keep me updated on your blood patch. Did your neuro say leak can cause the pressure and pain in the spine? Worse when sitting?
Blind patch didn't work. They have checked everything in mri and ct and say looks fine. Definitely isn't fine. I was hikeing and active before and now hurt all the time and cant sit to work. Anyways i have pain in the neck and back of the head, also upper spine, and lastly ringing in the ears. at this point i am pushing for someone to check my pressure cause maybe its high instead of low. Problem is they say mris and stuff dont really accurately tell about pressure. So checking means another lp. I dont know id want to do that what do u think?
Blood patch not blind patch
Ughhh. Not good. I wish I could rewind and say no to the LP. Maybe the blood patch takes some time?? Or maybe you need to do a 2nd patch? I don’t think I would do another LP after this experience. Perhaps the symptoms will lessen with time
I have to hope it will go away with time
I see to many stories that theirs didn't though. i am worried its like to much pressure. I saw someone somewhere say they had to much pressure after. Idk anymore. They did look at things do mri and a ct and say all looks normal. I have no idea. Its crazy drs look at u like your nuts i feel. My dr was like i havent heard of neck and back really but back of head yes. Which is why she tried blood patch. I wish everyday i could go back. I used to hike weekly and do yoga now i barley do stuff cause the neck pain is so bothersome. The upper back is to but the neck bothers me more.
Summer,
Ask yo try a medicine called Diamox. It would help with high presssure headache. If it doesn’t help it’s probanly still low pressure. I wish I could go back too. My life has been turned upside down. I’m so sorry My Dr today did say it is low pressure spinal headaches etc. I will see a new neurologist in a couple of weeks and hope to have another mri done. I’ll let you know what she says. Also my Dr said this usually works itself out over time. I saw somewhere the longest spinal tap headache on record was 19 months. But of course there are those who suffer daily and don’t know why. I’ll let you know what the new neuro suggests.
Hello everyone, it’s bitter sweet reading your posts. I had a c-section 5 weeks ago and a lumbar puncture 4 days after as I went to the Er complaining of back pain. Ended up being kidney failure but now 5 weeks later I’m in emence pain. Feels like the middle of my spine is just going to snap in half. It’s super hard with a new baby as every time I pick her up I could cry.
Doesn’t really sound like anyone can help us hey?
Autumn, I am so sorry to hear about your pain. I am in an Allied field, so I know a good bit about the nervous system, but I am not a physician so I’m obviously not offering a diagnosis. But I have seen this before. Did you get the LP puncture to test for intracranial hypertension as a cause of your migraines? If the spinal tap came back clean, but what’s called the “opening pressure” was above 200, that could mean that your body is over producing cerebrospinal fluid, which is putting pressure on the nerves in your back, which can be excruciating. The condition, called I I H, occurs primarily in females of childbearing age who are overweight, or gained weight rapidly. I’m actually trying to learn, myself, having read several reports like this on the web from people like you, whether the migraine and back pain are related to the same cause, because excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain can similarly cause Really bad migraine headaches, as well as some visual symptoms like sensitivity to light. You might want to ask your physician the following question: “what is my LP opening pressure above 200?“ If so, and your cerebrospinal fluid was “clean,“ that would suggest intracranial hypertension. It isn’t easy to treat, although if you look it up, there are two treatments that tend to be highly effective, one drug, and the other a medical procedure that drains the fluid into your body, where it is simply absorbed, when the pressure gets too high. Once again, I am not a physician, so I’m not offering a diagnosis, but I’d love to hear your answers, and perhaps this might send you in a direction that could be helpful. Don’t give up! I know how awful chronic pain is. I had periods of my own, which mercifully have stopped, of six months at a time where I couldn’t see it because I had back pain so severe that I couldn’t sit.
I would make sure u beleive that diagnosis. I am not a dr and i am not saying dr is wrong. Just my neurologist sent me to get checked for fibromyalgia cause she started saying that to. The dr i went to said you dont just wake up with it like that and you would be surprised how many people with csf issues get misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia. She said im sending a report back to your dr that they need to look at cause and effect you were fine then had a lp and now arnet they need to look at that. Again not saying your dx is wrong just letting you know my experience.
A recent visit to the er they did give me that ned. I didnt take it cause i wanted to ask my neuro first. I asked her and she said thing with that is if it isnt high pressure it will make your headache even worse i got scared and havent taken it. its all scary to me now. Ringing in my ears getting so loud and they never checked my pressure in the lp so.
Unfortunately on mine they never checked the pressure. I am scared to let them do another lp which would be the only way to check but my back neck and head have been in so much pain since idk what to so. They sont think i have a leak and dont thing im low on pressure per mris (although other drs have said mri isnt good at detecting) one said they think i have built up pressure and gave me diamox to try and said if its gets better good if not its low. Then another dr said dont take it cause if u r low it is gonna make it way way low. I know not a dr but what wpuld u do? Just looking for opinions. The symptoms of low and high csf seem to be so similar. I cant even tell if laying down helps anymore cause the neck pain is so bad regaudless and masks the head pain kinda.
Can you give an update on your back pain. I had a LP two months ago and my back hurts still. In your post you said your pain was improved after 4 months but at 7 months still hurt. Has it improved since then? My sister in law had an epidural and said it took her back 6 months to feel better. I feel surely with time it will heal. I am getting discouraged though.
Autumn, I am very sorry to hear about your pain and suffering. I pray you are doing better. My wife had an unsuccessful LP last Thursday (could only get .5 cc after two punctures) — they performed another LP yesterday (were successful in removing 12cc after two punctures) all to test for MS. Today suffering from extreme pain in mid to upper back. Gets some relief from standing but then head pounds. DRs didn’t discuss back pain, only possible headaches. Did you do a blood patch, if so, how long did you wait? How are you now? God bless!