How to Cope With a Spinal Headache
Procedures that puncture the spinal cord such as an epidural or a spinal tap carry the risk of the puncture leaking cerebral spinal fluid and causing a terrible headache for the patient. This is known as a spinal, or epidural, headache. This can be an excruciating experience, but with treatment it can be gone in 48 hours. Without treatment, however, it could last up to 7 days.
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Instructions
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Lie down. This won't get rid of the headache, but most people with spinal headaches get some relief from lying down.
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Hydrate. Drink plenty of water. It is important to increase the pressure in the cerebral spinal fluid. It may be possible to do this just by drinking plenty of fluids.
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Drink something with caffeine. Caffeine constricts blood vessels, which helps boost pressure in the spinal fluid.
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Rest for 24 to 48 hours. This might be difficult if you just had a baby, but do the best you can to stay off your feet and in bed.
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Contact your doctor if none of these methods help. A procedure called a blood patch is a final option an anesthesiologist can perform. This involves taking a small amount of blood from the patient, and then injecting it into the hole in the spinal column. The blood clots and stops the leak, providing relief from the headache.
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Tips & Warnings
It may be difficult to determine if you have a spinal headache on your own. But contact a doctor if you experience a headache after a spinal tap or spinal anesthesia that gets worse when you sit up, stand, or cough.
There's not much a patient can do to prevent an epidural headache. It's really in the hands of the anesthesiologist. You can ask for references for anesthesiologists-some might be more skilled with spinal procedures than others.
Drinking plenty of fluids after your procedure can help prevent a headache, but it's not a sure thing.
You might need to go to a doctor's office or hospital for IV fluids. Thanks to a number of home health care services, though, a nurse can come to your home and set you up with an IV, if necessary.
