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Post-myelogram headache—physiological or psychological?

Summary

Psychological aspects of post-lumbar puncture headache have hitherto received little attention. A hundred consecutive patients admitted for elective myelography were studied. Post-myelogram headache was assessed by an independent observer and found to be strongly associated with normality of the test (P<0.001). Psychological testing showed a trend between Hospital Anxiety Depression score and normality of myelogram as well as development of headache, although this did not achieve statistical significance. This study suggested that there is a large psychological as well as organic component to post-myelogram headache.

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Lee, T., Maynard, N., Anslow, P. et al. Post-myelogram headache—physiological or psychological?. Neuroradiology 33, 155–158 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588256

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588256

Key words

  • Headache
  • Myelography
  • Psychological