What is a lumbar puncture? Information for patients Neurology
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What is a lumbar puncture? A lumbar puncture is the removal of some of the fluid which surrounds your brain and spinal cord. Lumbar punctures are done for various reasons including: To help us to find out what is wrong with you, e.g. any signs of inflammation To help us to work out what is not wrong with you Occasionally to help treat people who have too much fluid around their brain that can cause headaches and affect their sight Are there any other tests you can use? Although your doctor may want to do other tests as well as a lumbar puncture, the kind of results lumbar punctures can give can only be gained through doing a lumbar puncture. Will it hurt? The short answer is that some people may have some discomfort but as a rule, it shouldn t be painful. page 3 of 8
How is a lumbar puncture done? Fluid is drawn off using a needle. Usually, your doctor or nurse will ask you to lie on the bed and curl up into a tight ball. This makes it easier for the needle to go in. Your doctor or nurse will then clean your back with a cold antiseptic liquid. Next they will give you a local anaesthetic injection into your back to numb the place where the lumbar puncture needle is going to go in. This tends to sting rather like the injections you have at the dentist s. Once the area is numb, your doctor or nurse will put the lumbar puncture needle into your spine and draw off some fluid. The needle is then removed and a cold spray used to seal the injection site. We usually do a blood test at the same time as the lumbar puncture. This is so that we can compare the cells, sugars and proteins in your blood with those that we find in your spinal fluid. This can help us to reach a diagnosis. What happens after the test? After the test, you may get up if you wish but if you feel you need to, you can stay lying down for a while. We will encourage you to drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids. page 4 of 8
How will I feel after my lumbar puncture? Most people have no after effects from their lumbar puncture. However: You may feel some burning or soreness where the needle went in. For a number of people (about 10%) having a lumbar puncture can lead to headaches. If you do develop a headache it may not be for 2-3 days after the test. If you do get a headache, lie down and drink plenty of non-alcoholic drinks and it should go away. Rarely, having a lumbar puncture can irritate the nerve root and this may cause some discomfort. There are very few other problems with lumbar punctures and those that there are usually happen because someone s anatomy is slightly different or because they are very unwell. When will I get the results of the test? We usually get your test results back within six weeks of having the lumbar puncture. If you have not had your results after six weeks, please contact your consultant s secretary: their number should be on your appointment letter or you could ring the switchboard on: 0114 271 1900 Are there any other options? This is the treatment/investigation recommended by your consultant. If you wish to discuss any other options, please speak to your consultant or a member of the medical or nursing team. page 5 of 8
Obtaining your consent We must obtain your consent for any procedure or treatment beforehand. Staff will explain all the risks, benefits and alternatives before they ask for your consent. If you are unsure about any aspect of the procedure or treatment proposed, please do not hesitate to ask for more information. When can I go home? As long as you are feeling well you should be able to go home the same day. What should I do when I get home? Once you are back home or on the ward, you should: Rest for the rest of the day Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids If you do get a headache or lower back discomfort, lie down and take paracetemol (as recommended on the bottle). Is there anything I should look out for when I go home? If you get a headache that does not go away or becomes much worse and your neck feels stiff you must contact your GP immediately. Any after effects should pass but if you are at all worried, contact your GP who will give you more advice. page 6 of 8
Neuro Day Care Unit Royal Hallamshire Hospital Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm 0114 271 1715 page 7 of 8
Produced with support from Sheffield Hospitals Charity Working together we can help local patients feel even better To donate visit www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk Registered Charity No 1169762 Alternative formats can be available on request. Please email: alternativeformats@sth.nhs.uk Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2017 Re-use of all or any part of this document is governed by copyright and the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 SI 2005 No.1515. Information on re-use can be obtained from the Information Governance Department, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Email infogov@sth.nhs.uk PD3475-PIL88 v5 Issue Date: June 2017. Review Date: June 2019