Thursday January 21, 2010

Q: 34 year old male patient had LP (lumbar punture) 4 days ago but continue to complaint of severe headache. Analgesics are not working. What would be other simple recommendation?



Answer: Caffeine - 300-500 mg q4-6h

In severe cases Caffeine sodium benzoate (500 mg) in 1 liter of fluid (D5LR) can be given intravenously over one and a half hour. The patients usually have complete resolution of symptoms and no recurrence of headache.

Caffeine sodium benzoate is a simple treatment of post-lumbar-puncture headaches. It should be considered as a safe alternative to an epidural blood patch for the treatment of post-lumbar-puncture headaches.


A simple treatment of post-lumbar-puncture headache. - J Emerg Med. 1989 Jan-Feb;7(1):29-31.