Headache after spinal anesthesia

Posted by Doctor Nguyen Trung Thanh - Department of Surgical Anesthesia - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

Spinal anaesthesia is an anesthetic method commonly applied to sub-umbilical surgery such as lower limb orthopedic surgery, inguinal hernia or cesarean section,... Headache is one of the possible complications. of this approach.

1. What is a headache after spinal anesthesia?

Headache after spinal anesthesia appears within 48 hours of surgery with spinal anesthesia, usually occurs when the patient starts to move and stand up, lasts a day or a few days after surgery, possibly longer . Headaches can be dull or pulsating with mild intensity depending on the case, increasing with movement and decreasing with rest.
Cases where an epidural is performed (to relieve pain after surgery or to relieve labor pain) can also experience this complication due to accidental perforation of the dura during the procedure.
Headaches after spinal anesthesia may be accompanied by symptoms of dizziness, sensitivity to light, nausea, or stiff neck.

Chóng mặt buồn nôn — Người bệnh có thể xuất hiện triệu chứng buồn nôn

2. Causes of headache after spinal anesthesia?

The spinal cord and cerebrospinal fluid are surrounded by the dura mater. When performing spinal anesthesia at the waist, the doctor uses a small needle to pierce the skin to pierce the dura and then inject anesthetic to achieve an anesthetic effect for the surgery. Even though a very fine needle is used, CSF can leak through the dural perforation, changing the pressure inside the spinal compartment, causing headaches.

3. What should the patient do when a headache occurs after spinal anesthesia?

Rest at bed and notify caregiver. The anesthesiologist will quickly examine the patient after receiving the information from the notified department. Headaches can be the cause of many different conditions, so your doctor may order more tests or scans that are appropriate or request a consultation with a neurologist.
Anesthesiologist will directly treat the patient after determining the cause of the headache is a complication of anesthesia. Depending on the situation, the doctor may prescribe pain medication to help the patient improve the pain or apply more radical measures to treat the patient's pain.

Kê đơn, bác sĩ chỉ định uống thuốc — Tùy trường hợp, bác sĩ sẽ có phương pháp điều trị phù hợp nhất với tình trạng của người bệnh

If the headache is severe or persists for too long, it may affect your health, the anesthesiologist may consider appointing a blood patch to the area where the spinal anesthesia has been administered. previously for the purpose of sealing the perforation of the dura mater.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has applied spinal anesthesia under ultrasound guidance, increasing efficiency and limiting complications for patients. To learn more, please call hotlines of hospitals or register for an online consultation with Vinmec HERE.

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