![]() When the area becomes numb, a hollow needle will be inserted in the lower back between two lumbar vertebrae. A local anesthetic (pain-relieving medication) will be injected into the area on your back. After cleaning your back with an antiseptic, sterile cloths (called drapes) will be placed around the area. You will either lie on your side with your knees drawn as close to your chest as possible and your chin toward your chest or sit with your arms and head resting on a table. Please make arrangements for transportation, as you should not drive immediately after the test.Tell your doctor if you are allergic to latex or any medications.Ask your doctor for specific guidelines about discontinuing alcohol use, aspirin products, and blood-thinning drugs before the procedure.There are no dietary or fluid restrictions before the test. Maintain your regular eating schedule.NOTE: Testing of the CSF may not be necessary if the spinal tap procedure is done to inject a medication. Inject dye for an X-ray diagnostic test.Measure the pressure around the brain and spinal cord.An examination of the fluid will show the number and types of white blood cells, the level of glucose, the types and levels of proteins, and the presence of bacteria, fungi, or abnormal cells. The CSF contains glucose (sugar), proteins, and other substances found in the blood. Meningitis, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, or headaches of unknown origin are a few examples. Why Is a Spinal Tap Performed?Ī spinal tap may be performed to rule out infections such as meningitis or encephalitis as the cause of epileptic seizures.īesides being used for epilepsy, testing the CSF can help in the diagnosis of disorders of the chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, central nervous system that may involve the brain, spinal cord, or their coverings (the meninges). This is a procedure in which fluid surrounding the spinal cord (called the cerebrospinal fluid or CSF) is withdrawn through a needle and examined in a lab. One test for epilepsy is a spinal tap (also called a l umbar puncture). ![]()
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