When doctors need to find information about illnesses that
a patient may be suffering from by studying the cerebrospinal fluid they perform a
lumbar puncture. It is used to verify whether patients have life- threatening ailments
like bacterial meningitis and subarachnoid hemorrhage. While doing this a small amount
of fluid is extracted from the spine.
A lumbar puncture is
never used as a tool which is performed before initial treatment is started. The
patient is first put on antibiotics and steroids to counter any ailments they may have.
If there is no response a neurological examination is conducted followed by the lumbar
puncture.
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