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Neurology (Expert Forum)
spinal tap and alleviation of symptoms
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spinal tap and alleviation of symptoms
by christine__0__0, Dec 22, 1998 12:00AM
I just recently had a spinal tap and noticed that up to 2 days after having the procedure that my lupus symptoms (joint pain, fatigue, hives, headaches and vertigo etc.) seemed to dissipate significantly. I felt almost completely normal until about 2 days later when the symptoms recurred again. Is there a legitimate reason for this to happen or could it just have been a fluke? Since spinal fluid is removed during a spinal tap couldn't the removal of spinal fluid antibodies alleviate symptoms since the antibodies are no longer there to cause an immune reaction?
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I don't have a ready explanation for why a spinal tap relieved your symptoms.
Typically, a tablespoon (15cc) or less is drained in a spinal tap. In a "large volume" tap, 30-50 cc are drained. There is more spinal fluid than that, so as you can see, not all was removed. Also, spinal fluid gets replaced quickly enough that what was taken off was regenerated within hours.
Normally, there are no antibodies in the spinal fluid. If there are, then they are being made somewhere by immune cells around the brain, which is not a normal circumstance. Therefore, mere removal of antibodies which happen to be in the CSF is not enough to explain improvement of symptoms because the source has not been affected.
There are circumstances in which LP can provide relief of symptoms. One is pseudotumor cerebri (also called idiopathic intracranial hypertension), in which the pressure of the CSF is too high (though there is no tumor or other type of mass to explain why). Another is in hydrocephalus, which is another disorder of regulation of fluid balance in the head.
This could have been a coincidence, or your experience may be a clue to suggest new or alternate diagnoses to your doctors.
As you know, this forum can't be used for medical advice, but is for education only. I hope this helps. CCF MD mdf.
