Lumbar Puncture
There are potential risks and potential benefits to each of these procedures.
I am not opposed to lumbar puncture but am cautious...
Potential side effects...
There is minor discomfort, but the test is usually tolerated quite well. Local anesthetic is usually injected before the spinal needle is inserted.
Despite the inordinate amount of anxiety that people often have towards LP, serious side effects are remarkably rare. The most common side effect is headache which occurs in about 40% of people and begins within 48 hours and resolves spontaneously in less than 5 days. It is typically better with lying flat and worse while standing. Other side effects that together occur in about 0.3% (1 in 330) of people include the following:
-prolonged headache lasting longer than 7 days (by far the most most common of the rare occurrences on this list)
-infection
-nerve root irritation, herniation or transecton
-injury to one of the nerves that exit directly from the head (known as cranial neuropathies)
-bleeding (in the head, spine or locally)
-low back pain
-movement of the brain downward if there is abnormally higher pressure in the head than in the spinal canal (known as uncal or tonsillar herniation, reversible tonsillar descent or spinal coning depending on which part moves; extremely rare but very serious)
-fainting
Where is it done?
LPs are most often done in hospitals or clinics.
The above quote taken from:
http://www.neurobc.com/Neurological_Tests/lumbar_puncture.htm