Any risk of elevated pressure if the MRI looks good?

[Ball123]

I have typical signs of secondary headache. Mostly I get pain from fast head movements like jumping or shaking but also from coughing and sometimes from straining.

I did a MRI that showed no signs of elevated intracranial pressure (empty sella etc) and no signs of any possible underlying cause.

My GP also looked in my eyes for papilla edema but saw nothing strange. He is now referring me to a neurologist, eye doctor and so on.

Now to my questions: I feel rather safe since the MRI and the eye exam didn't show anything; is it really necessary to perform an opening pressure spinal tap and is it really necessary to see the eye doctor?
Is it really possible to have elevated pressure without any signs on these tests?
And if so, do you know the odds?
Should I try diamox for a few weeks to see if I feel better?

Understand me correctly, I do want to get rid of this stuff but I just feel that since the MRI was good maybe this is not the path to follow.. Also the spinal tap scares me a bit.

All suggestions appreciated.

[Daniel M Prevedello, MD]

Dear Ball123,

We are not here to interfere in the decisions of your doctors. If they recommended a spinal tap in order to investigate your symptoms is because they are thinking on intracranial pressure and I dont think that taking diamox without a measurement of the opening pressure makes sense. Diamox also has side effects, so you only want to take it if you need it.
I would follow the doctor's advices.

Thank you

[Ball123]

Ok, thank you.