A spinal headache may occur up to five days after the procedure is performed.

If enough of the fluid leaks out, a spinal headache may develop.

The spinal headache often is described as "a headache like no other."

Approximately 10% to 20% of people develop a spinal headache (one that worsens when sitting or standing).

Spinal headaches are much more severe when the person is in an upright position; they improve when the person lies down.

Other risks include severe blood loss (which may require a blood transfusion) and postdural-puncture spinal headaches.

Post spinal headache with nausea is the most common complication; it often responds to analgesics and infusion of fluids.

In addition, if a person develops a spinal headache following a procedure, the anesthesiologist can create a blood patch with the person's blood to seal the leak.

Because the design of spinal needles has been improved, spinal headaches after a spinal tap or administration of spinal anesthesia are rare.

The first course of treatment for spinal headaches involves supplying adequate hydration to try to increase cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) pressure.

Merritt's Neurology (10th edition), in the section on lumbar puncture, notes that intravenous caffeine injection is often quite effective in aborting these so-called "spinal headaches."

Nevertheless, all types of surgical treatment pose common risks, including neurological deficits, infection and inflammation, spinal headache, urinary disturbances, and leakage of cerebrospinal fluids.

A spinal headache can occur as a result of a procedure such as a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) or epidural block (such as that performed during a woman's labor and delivery).