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- Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome (https://www.neurotalk.org/traumatic-brain-injury-and-post-concussion-syndrome/)

- - Spinal Tap? (https://www.neurotalk.org/traumatic-brain-injury-and-post-concussion-syndrome/213146-spinal-tap.html)

Long time no post so I'll back story on what has happened with me.

2 years ago I got a concussion (my 5th or 6th) diagnosed as a TBI. Ive had a plethora of treatments including acupuncture, botox injections, speech therapy, vision therapy, and plenty of physical therapy.

I have headaches every day and every couple of weeks I will get a severe migraine. Still has some memory/concentration issues vertigo and basically almost all the typical symptoms.

Well, I moved and got a new Dr, and my last MRI and CT scans were 2 years ago and he wanted to see new ones. The old ones do show damage but it is hard to tell if it is a couple small spots or a large one on the right side I do believe.

In addition to the scans, he also wants to have a bunch of tests ran via blood to check for levels in my brain of the white matter I think is what he said and he also wants to do a spinal tap. Also threw out the possibility of testing me for MS.

Question is basically has anyone ever gotten a spinal tap and what can it show for TBI injuries?

Spinal taps are done to measure CSF pressure and also take samples of CSF to test for things like MS or Lyme.
I've been offered to do it last year when I had bad migraines but decided against it since I've heard too many stories of spinal taps causing more issues.
A friend had a spinal tap done when she had meningitis and the doc scraped the spine or something with the needle so she has permanent damage from that giving her back pain.

Hi acvfalcon81,

Quote:

Question is basically has anyone ever gotten a spinal tap and what can it show for TBI injuries?

I do not have TBI but I have had a Lumbar Puncture LP (spinal tap) and I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A Lumbar Puncture is used as part of the diagnostic process for many things, MS being one of them.

Information about a Lumbar Puncture:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003428.htm

Approximately 85% of those diagnosed with MS and who have had a LP will be positive for Oligoclonal bands (o-bands).
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003631.htm

Hi russiarulez,

Quote:

I've been offered to do it last year when I had bad migraines but decided against it since I've heard too many stories of spinal taps causing more issues.

You will always hear horror stories about a LP but what you hear, many times, is not the experience many have.

I had a LP done in the "dark ages" :eek: ;).

Nowadays it's not as bad as years ago. A LP is usually done under fluoroscopy (x-ray) and the area is numbed before a needle is inserted.

If you have any questions about MS please feel free to visit/post on the MS forum.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum17.html