isuues after spinal tap (lumbar puncture)?

@db - thanks, i pray and wish the physio really helps you, but what sort of physio is this? can you give more details?

i had my first session today, its hard to explain on here. i have some exercises to do. 3 times a day. the damage is caused from the injection as they put it in your back automatically tenses up. and the muscles underneat your top layer of muscles are alot smaller. if the tensing was on the hamstring the pulled muscles are not as affected, feels like a pulled muscle as they are such a big muscle. but the smaller ones cause a lot more pain when pull and strained. and the nerves are effected down the leg and too the foot. and the pain form the pulled back tends to travel to one side of the hip. like bumcheek area and downwards. im probs not as clear as my physio person. but with regulaar exersis slowly stretching the effected muscle. with strenthen it but with out excersising it can only get worse. its just normal physio. but honestly can do it from home with the right stretches. one exercise is laying on ur back. and with both hands on ur bent leg pull ur knee as far as u can towards your head till it hurts. but need to get a right balance cos it can also get worse if pulled too much. another is pulling the knee towards u the same but with your hands pull urfoot towards ur and push ur knee down away, should be videos online. :) goodluck. will keep you updated.

just ask a physio therapist or book in totally worse it. just need to keep at it. nothing comes without a struggle. im doing mine now. just gonna keep at it. and let you all no my personal outcome.

db - Many thanks for the reply , really appreciate your explanation, Well i will search for these exercise online too, but pls do keep me updated about your progress and relief every few days, the problem is we do not have a good physio here and that is the reason i asked you for explanation of the stretches, if possible pls explain any other new exercise you have been taught, appreciate your input here, many thanks..

for sure, i will try and do a video for you or something for you's only what i am show. there three exercises. all on the laying on the back. :)

@db - Many many thanks for the initiative, i really apreciate it, waiting for your video - 

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I had a Lumbar Puncture yesterday and I am very frightened. In the past I have been diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, Fibromyalgia, chronic Fatigue, IBS, and chronic back pain. When I moved to the state I'm in now, I was looking for help from someone. I am in constant pain and exhaustively tired all the time. I am 29 and was diagnosed with these 2 years after having my twins. I still say there has to be an underline cause for Fibromyalgia, since my CRP and Sed rate are high every time I've had them checked. Anyway, I went to a Neurologist (supposed to be one of the best in the area) in my new area. He sent me for a Lumbar Puncture as I said I had yesterday. Since last night I've had EXCRUCIATING LOWER BACK PAIN sometimes stabbing pain in my upper butt area. I can barely walk. I am on very strong pain meds and it's not touching the pain. It feels like my back is broke. I'm explaining it as I feel like I've been hit in the back with a sledge hammer. It hurts so bad, I can't sit, stand, walk, or do anything. The only thing that helps a very little is laying down either on my back or on my side. I have 3 younger children, I can't stay in bed. I have tried heat, ice, pain meds, and called the doctor. They are supposed to be calling me back but nothing yet and it's been over an hour. I've read through a lot of the posts on here and if I had known all of this before hand, I wouldn't have had it done. It was mainly for pressure, proteins, and Lyme. I'm scared that this isn't going to go away now and I just made my chronic back pain worse. The doctor refused to let them take a tube of fluid to be tested for MS because I don't have the classic symptoms. I wanted to be tested for peace of mind because my biological cousin has MS. I was upset but went through with it anyway. It only took one try and they were in but it seriously felt like he hit my spinal cord or something in the process. They made me stay at the hospital laying flat for 4 hours because I'm headache prone after these type of procedures (previous CT Mylagram). So I didn't get any headaches which is good but the back pain is way more than normal and very debilitating. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my story.

Please be careful doing these exercises WITHOUT someone who knows what they're doing looking at you first, and whilst you are first trying them. Especially any exercies which tells you to really push "til it hurts" NO. Whilst this may be ok for that particular individual, the physio who recommended those exercises has not seen you, does not know your case, and these exercises might not be the best for you.
Yes, new movements and exercises are likely to cause discomfort - but there is a difference between "discomfort from lack of use (or because it's a new movement)" and "this is acutally causing pain for a reason!"

Please : be careful. Yes, exercise; stretch your body; keep joints and muscles active and avoid standing or sitting still for too long... Start gently, and above all : listen to your body.

hi jnlampron. If you only had your L.P then I'm not surprised you are still feeling sore... but take heart that it's early days, and try not to worry - worrying will only make you poorly.
As for your fatigue and pain - what kind of diet to you have? I've noticed that since cutting out modern wheat (I use spelt wheat instead) and sugar (and processed foods in general) that my pain levels are better, as are my energy levels.

I hope you have a positive experience, are able to find out what's been cuasing problems and are feeling better soon.

for sure, this is true. altho most LP's effect the same muscles everyone is different so even if i created a video that would only be for my personal pulled muscles and nerves. try and see a physio if you can. I dont want to make a video people copy then 2 weeks later tell me they are in even more discomfort. for now i say try do some walking to keep your hip lose. waking up for me is the worst as i feel really stiff. not sure about others. Good post.

I had a spinal tap done years ago, I had a pounding headache that was so bad it felt like my head was going to explode!. So they told me I had to get the spinal tap to ensure i did not have menigitis. The test came back negative so i stayed in the hospital for 2 days and signed myself out. They never did find the problem or the cause for the intense pounding headache, but it's been over four years and i occasionally get these very intense icepick pain's in the region where the spinal tap was done. I am not sure what would be causing this but the spinal tap because the pain feel's exactly the same as the pain right after the spinal tap!

..."most LPs effect the same muscles" - ran into complications during mine, she had over 13 attempts in one sitting and still failed to get a sample, but hit LOTS of things in her attempts. I went into shock during the procedure, so even if they had got a sample it would have been an incorrect reading... (I did try a physio... he decided that physio wasn't going to help and was causing more problems...he said I required more medication to make physio possible, but the Dr was not interested!)... Today I have full spine and neck pain, rib cage (which makes breathing painful), hip and groin area pain, (on top of the continued hand and feet pain that I had before any investigations started)...though thankfully the severity of the pain fluctuates, so I do have some 'good' moments, but the cold damp weather certainly doesn't help lol. I have had better success by listening to my own body and doing gentle stretching and movements, I used to do Yoga and Tai Chi, and find these help, even when I'm not feeling strong enough to stand I can do seated exercises, anything to keep things moving.... Meditation certainly helps me be in a better place to deal with the pain too... and on good days I make sure I'm as active as possible... Hope you're all as comfortable and as active as you can be :)

its been almost a year since my spinal tap and the lower back pain that i deal with now is unreal. can any one help?

Hi Spider, I'm shocked at what you had to go through with your spinal tap. I've just come to realise that my spinal and hip pain are probably caused by a spinal tap I had. There were many attempts to do it first time and it was not successful. The pain was excruciating and not like anything I have ever experienced. The second lots to attempt it 2 days later by a more senior Medic had my right leg flying through the air like an electrical current right through to my big toe with a deep moan/groan from me (so said my son who had just walked into the room). I think I was in a state of shock. For one week after, I lay flat as advised but with an incredible headache. They told me to drink black coffee. The reason I had the tap was to identify whether I had a primary or secondary brain tumour. I have had severe back and hip pain especially worse when walking. I had a lumbar scan and results were a nerve exiting the spine, damage to L4/5, also congenital Spina Bifida Occultus with spinal cord tethering Don't know now if the problem giving the tap was due to the Spina Bif and the tethering of the cord. Any suggestions? I've been on different nerve pain relief meds, looks like the second one MIGHT be working. Still have serious back pain when I walk any distance although nerve pain less.

you really need to get some physio. cos it will never go away un treated needs to be exercised right. need to strenthen the smaller layer of muscles underneath and the nerves and maybe spine itself. hope u get it sorted.