Spinal Headaches - Diagnosis & Treatment

Symptoms & Causes Diagnosis & Treatment

How is a spinal headache diagnosed?

Diagnosis of a spinal headache typically involves:

Medical history and symptom review with your healthcare provider
Physical examination, including assessing the headache’s characteristics and related symptoms
Response to positioning, for example, noting whether the headache improves when lying down and worsens when upright, which is characteristic of a spinal headache
Imaging studies, such as MRI or CT scan may be used to rule out other causes of headache or confirm the presence of a cerebrospinal fluid leak

Treatment for a spinal headache focuses on relieving symptoms and addressing the underlying cause:

Bed rest, specifically lying flat with your head elevated, can help minimise cerebrospinal fluid leakage and promote healing of the puncture site.
Hydration with fluids, including caffeinated beverages, may help constrict blood vessels and alleviate symptoms.
Pain relief: Using pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Caffeine tablets/solutions are used to improve production of spinal fluid from the brain.
Epidural blood patch procedure, which is a minimally invasive procedure involving injecting a small amount of your own blood into the epidural space near the puncture site to seal the cerebrospinal fluid leak and promote healing, if the headache persists.
Intravenous (IV) fluids and medications to manage pain and nausea may be necessary.