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Lumbar Puncture question
Can you drive after getting one done?
My other question is I had one done as a kid and I remember it HURT so bad so I was wondering why they can't just numb the whole area before the procedure is done to help lessen the pain? I know that the numbing injection hurts a lot too, but probably not as much as the actual procedure.
Thanks for your help everyone and thanks for reading.
My other question is I had one done as a kid and I remember it HURT so bad so I was wondering why they can't just numb the whole area before the procedure is done to help lessen the pain? I know that the numbing injection hurts a lot too, but probably not as much as the actual procedure.
Thanks for your help everyone and thanks for reading.
Best Answer
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi there. No, you should not drive after a lumbar punchure. Though small volume of cerebrospinal fluid is removed if done for diagnostic purposes and more if for therapeutic drainage, strict bed rest is advised after the procedure. One is advised to take plenty of oral fluids and lie flat on bed to prevent meningeal drag and post spinal dural punchure headache. So it is best to avoid sitting and standing. Maintain recumbent posture for 48 hours. You can request the doctor doing the procedure to give a local anesthetic injection in your skin and subcutaneous tissue which will numb the next needle *****. Hope this helps. Take care.
I think it is probably better to let someone drive you to the procedure, since they usually recommend you lie down for a few hours after just to make sure you don't have a fluid leak. Mine was not painful, just a lot of pressure from the needle used to draw the fluid. I also had a headache after, which is fairly common.
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