Spinal tap/lumbar puncture pain?
Hi,
I’ve seen so many questions on here by people asking "do spinal taps hurt?" and quite often the answers were similar to "OMG YES IT HURTS LIKE HELL".
This isn’t really a question, I just thought I would post this to reassure anyone who is having a spinal tap that it’s not that bad at all.
For mine, I had to sit on a chair backwards. I wasn’t asked to lie in the fetal position like most people are. The doctor injected the local anesthetic (it did sting a little but nothing too painful) and then he put the bigger needle in. It feels odd but it’s not painful at all. Surprisingly, it only took 5 minutes! I’m not sugarcoating this at all, I promise you. I’m a huge sissy when it comes to needles lol.
Anyway, after the procedure I had to lie flat on my stomach with my head to the side for about an hour. After that I was allowed to lie flat on my back and even get up to go to the bathroom if I needed to. I didn’t get up for about 2 hours and I spent the rest of the day lying flat on my back, drinking lots of Pepsi. Caffeine supposedly helps to avoid the spinal headaches. I never had one.
The insertion site was a bit sore for a few days. It felt weird to bend over to pick up things or to lift my legs up to go up the stairs for example.
I hope this helps 
Feel free to ask me any questions. I’m willing to help anyone. I know how nervous I was for my spinal tap!
You can also share your spinal tap experiences.
This is how most spinal taps go. Some people have no pain tolerance and often, there may be a moment of temporary pain as the physician reaches their site in the spinal column but that is gone very quickly. I assist with these procedures and have never had anyone complain of SEVERE pain. Everything you have stated is true about spinal taps.
I am having severe pain from my spinal tap. the injection site is sore & I am having EXTREME pain in my lower back, my legs & abdomen. Im usually the “1 out of a 100″ that suffers side effects….. how can I find relief? Im taking Methylprednisolone & Fioricet. I feel worse than before I went in to see the dr… any advice???
The lumbar puncture is one of the most uncomfortable feelings I have ever felt in my entire life. I would like to think that I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I have had multiple piercings and I have several tattoos. I get my blood drawn on a weekly basis and I donate blood whenever I can. A lumbar puncture is a whole different kind of pain.
I had one last week and it is the worst pain i have ever felt in my entire life. The doctor didn’t numb me(asshole)and then did the lp. The initial injection felt a little worse than a normal shot, but everything after the needle entered me made me want to scream. This is coming from a guy who has broken over 20 bones and gives blood regularly.