Why do I need a spinal tap for migraines?
I have at least 4 to 5 migraines a week.
Answers:
tracy,
A spinal tap is a good diagnostic tool for certain disorders of the brain and nervous system.
It is possible to determine how much glucose is in it (it always has some, but too much is a concern), the numbers and kinds of white blood cells--and therefore what infection(s) you might be fighting--or what proteins may be in it, which would indicate what kinds of nerve problems may be developing, or even the pressure of the fluid. If it's too high, that could be the cause of your migranes, and the treatment for that would be far different from teh treatment of other causes.
My first assist with a spinal tap was on a baby with suspected meningitis, which also causes headaches. We could see immediately that he most likely didn't have it because the fluid was not cloudy or milky. It was tested anyway, but you can see from this how a spinal tap can often help a doctor know what to treat or what not to treat.
With your case, the doctor needs to know what is or isn't in your CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) at least to rule out the usual suspects. That frequency of migrane is a bit disturbing--as you well know--and the lumbar puncture is a very good test for some of the possbilities..
You need the 'spinal tap' because you have such a 'high frequency' of migraines, and that could 'indicate' that there is 'something else causing them' ... I had an 'unusually high' rate of migraines, myself, but only 2-3 a week, and was offered a 'spinal tap' too ... I didn't have one, because I 'knew' that others in my family also had frequent migraines ... but if you are 'the only one' in your family, or if you doctor is 'concerned enough' I think you should go ahead and have the spinal tap ... it's 'slightly uncomfortable' but it doesn't really 'hurt' and is over very quickly ... and then you may 'know' why you get so many migraines.
There is not a lot known about migraines, but one of the things that IS known is that they involve the brain stem. Your spinal column is certainly affected by your brain stem (and vice versa), so I would imagine that your doctor wants to find out what's going on in there, to see if your headaches are being caused by something treatable.
Good luck!
I would go for a second opion if i were you even though you do suffer more migranes per week than most. Just seems to me a spinal tap is a little to extreme for migranes but then again, i'm no doctor.
Good luck and God bless!
Have the spinal tap. I don't want to alarm you, but my younger sister had constant migraines, and they did a spinal tap and learned that she had a brain tumor. There's also the possibility of meningitis. If you have headaches that often, there is something wrong, and it's best to find out what so you can start treatment if needed.
There is a new development in migraine therapy:
http://www.neurologyreviews.com/feb04/nr...
Get the Spinal Tap. They can look for clues to why your having the migraines.
Did you have CT's and MRI's? Make sure there is no mass or tumor first. After that the urgency goes down. Your Doctor sounds to be right on tract so let them do the diagnosis. Not the internet.
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Answers:
tracy,
A spinal tap is a good diagnostic tool for certain disorders of the brain and nervous system.
It is possible to determine how much glucose is in it (it always has some, but too much is a concern), the numbers and kinds of white blood cells--and therefore what infection(s) you might be fighting--or what proteins may be in it, which would indicate what kinds of nerve problems may be developing, or even the pressure of the fluid. If it's too high, that could be the cause of your migranes, and the treatment for that would be far different from teh treatment of other causes.
My first assist with a spinal tap was on a baby with suspected meningitis, which also causes headaches. We could see immediately that he most likely didn't have it because the fluid was not cloudy or milky. It was tested anyway, but you can see from this how a spinal tap can often help a doctor know what to treat or what not to treat.
With your case, the doctor needs to know what is or isn't in your CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) at least to rule out the usual suspects. That frequency of migrane is a bit disturbing--as you well know--and the lumbar puncture is a very good test for some of the possbilities..
You need the 'spinal tap' because you have such a 'high frequency' of migraines, and that could 'indicate' that there is 'something else causing them' ... I had an 'unusually high' rate of migraines, myself, but only 2-3 a week, and was offered a 'spinal tap' too ... I didn't have one, because I 'knew' that others in my family also had frequent migraines ... but if you are 'the only one' in your family, or if you doctor is 'concerned enough' I think you should go ahead and have the spinal tap ... it's 'slightly uncomfortable' but it doesn't really 'hurt' and is over very quickly ... and then you may 'know' why you get so many migraines.
There is not a lot known about migraines, but one of the things that IS known is that they involve the brain stem. Your spinal column is certainly affected by your brain stem (and vice versa), so I would imagine that your doctor wants to find out what's going on in there, to see if your headaches are being caused by something treatable.
Good luck!
I would go for a second opion if i were you even though you do suffer more migranes per week than most. Just seems to me a spinal tap is a little to extreme for migranes but then again, i'm no doctor.
Good luck and God bless!
Have the spinal tap. I don't want to alarm you, but my younger sister had constant migraines, and they did a spinal tap and learned that she had a brain tumor. There's also the possibility of meningitis. If you have headaches that often, there is something wrong, and it's best to find out what so you can start treatment if needed.
There is a new development in migraine therapy:
http://www.neurologyreviews.com/feb04/nr...
Get the Spinal Tap. They can look for clues to why your having the migraines.
Did you have CT's and MRI's? Make sure there is no mass or tumor first. After that the urgency goes down. Your Doctor sounds to be right on tract so let them do the diagnosis. Not the internet.
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