What do doctors look for in a spinal tap for MS?

A spinal tap can tell you whether the amount of protein, white blood cells, or myelin in your spinal fluid is too high. It can also reveal whether the fluid in your spine contains an abnormal level of antibodies. Analyzing your spinal fluid also can show your doctor whether you might have another condition and not MS.

Should I be worried about a spinal tap?

Spinal taps are safe procedures with rare complications. The most common is a headache, which affects 10 to 30 percent of patients and “usually comes on after several hours, sometimes a day or two later,” Gadsden says. “It is not dangerous.

Do neurologists perform spinal taps?

The following types of doctors perform lumbar puncture: Neurologists specialize in caring for people with diseases and conditions of the brain and nervous system, including the spinal cord, nerves, muscles, and related blood vessels.

Can you have a normal spinal tap and still have MS?

MS can be present even with a normal MRI and spinal fluid test although it’s uncommon to have a completely normal MRI.

How long does a spinal tap take to get results?

Simple tests are ready the same day, if not within a few hours. If we’re looking for bacteria, we’ll know the results within 72 hours. Other, more demanding tests may be ready in a matter of days or weeks; and specific biochemical tests that are looking for certain antibodies may take six to eight weeks to come back.

Are you sedated for Spinal Tap?

Your doctor will likely do this exam on an outpatient basis. A nurse or technologist will insert an intravenous (IV) line into a vein in your hand or arm to administer a sedative. This procedure may use moderate sedation.

What procedures does an interventional neurologist do?

Interventional neuroradiologists currently employ minimally invasive procedures to accomplish a wide variety of treatments including: stroke treatment by delivering clot-busting drugs directly to the site of the blockage; aneurysm therapy by inserting platinum coils into the aneurysm bulge to prevent clotting and …

What is a spinal tap procedure?

A spinal tap (lumbar puncture, or LP) is a procedure in which a doctor inserts a needle into the space between two vertebrae in your lower spine to remove about a tablespoon of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which bathes the tissues of the spinal cord and brain.

What is the difference between a lumbar puncture and a tap?

Then a needle is inserted into your spinal canal — in your lower back — to collect cerebrospinal fluid for testing. A lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is performed in your lower back, in the lumbar region. During a lumbar puncture, a needle is inserted between two lumbar bones (vertebrae) to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid.

What should you not do before a Spinal Tap?

A spinal tap is an unpleasant procedure. It’s best to avoid taking blood thinners (including Aspirin) for a few days beforehand. For the procedure, the person is asked to lie on their side with their knees tucked into their chest, or to lean forward in a chair with their arms and head resting on a table.

How common are spinal taps for multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Spinal taps were initially part of the routine work-up for people suspected of having multiple sclerosis but became less common in recent years. However, the most recent set of guidelines on how to diagnose MS have recommended more widespread use of spinal taps (Thompson and colleagues.