Question
Hi I am having chronic pain in my neck, back, left shoulder, left shoulder blade, left arm and left side of my rib cage. I also have a problem with brain pressure, Its called Idiopathic intracranial hypertension. I have headaches all the time. I have in the past had more than 36 spinal taps to help relieve the brian pressure. I have had this problem for more than twenty years. But the neck, back and shoulder problem just started about one year ago. What I would like to know is could this problem have come from the spinal taps that I had.

Answer
Dear Willette,

I do not think that the spinal taps are in anyway related to your current pain complaints.  Spinal taps are almost exclusively performed in the lumbar spine, and the most common side effect is headache pain due to dural (outer covering of the brain and spinal cord) irritation.

Your pain is more likely related to neck and upper back dysfunction, and possible disk or nerve root irritation/inflammation in the base of the neck. Schedule a musculoskeletal examination of that region with a chiropractor or an orthopedist.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthelthcare.net