Do spinal taps hurt alot? -

I have been feeling pressure all over my head for about 6 months already, pressure behind my eyes and a feeling of fullness in my ears. I can hear a swooshing noise in my head that goes along with my heartbeat. I do not know what is wrong with me, I have had MRI s and CT scans, Carotid Artery dopplers...everything you name it! The only thing I haven t done is a spinal tap, because I am very scared to get it. Anyone out there who has intracranial hypertension? Did you feel similar? Should I get a spinal tap? Does it hurt alot?

I don t know anything about your medical problems, but I did have a spinal tap (also called a lumbar puncture) when I was in the hospital, and it diagnosed my illness, so it was worth it. Honestly, it didn t hurt nearly as much as I had imagined, and not anywhere near as much as the illness itself! I had viral meningitis, and have never been sicker in my life. I was extremely grateful for that spinal tap!

My brother had one, and he said it was pretty painful. I ve only ever had an epidural, and having something stuck in your spine is not pleasant. You also have to lie down for a while after having one. A few minutes of pain is better than feeling poorly for a long time though right? If your doctor wants to do one, then I would do it!