I'd be terrified to have anyone stick anything into my spine. Several years ago, my mom was getting an epidural to help with back pain from spinal stenosis and her bad knees.

I took her up to the hospital my dad works at, and one of his anesthesiology buddies was her pain doctor. He put the needle in, and apparently something went wrong while he was trying to give the epidural. Not sure, but I think he accidentally got spinal fluid leaking out.

My mom's blood pressure spiked. I think it was at 200something over 150something and they were afraid she was going to stroke out. She had a really really bad headache from either the attempted epidural, or from the blood pressure spiking, probably both. They were about to admit her when her blood pressure suddenly went back to normal. (she had to use the potty, and my dad had come in to help her go do that...once she used the potty, her blood pressure went back to normal. It was weird)

They watched her for another hour, but her blood pressure stayed normal, and they decided to let her go home. After seeing how quickly something like that could go wrong, I've now got a phobia for anyone poking anything into my spine or my mom's spine ever again. (think my dad got the same phobia in relation to my mom getting any epidurals anymore...he refuses to let my mom get another epidural again...weird thing is, my dad gives epidurals to people all the time, he's a nurse anesthetist)