The psychogenic etiology of headache post lumbar puncture.

Headache following lumbar puncture is commonly thought to be due to continued leakage of spinal fluid through the dural hole and traction on pain-sensitive vascular structures. A double-blind study was performed on 100 healthy human volunteers to investigate the role of psychogenic factors in the etiology of this complication. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of headache after diagnostic and sham lumbar punctures. It was further noted that post-lumbar-puncture headaches occurred much more frequently in those subjects who expressed concern about this complication. It is concluded that psychogenic factors are of primary importance in the etiology of post-lumbar-puncture headaches.