<s>[INST] I've had a lower back strain/pain/injury dec. 2014 .  I was off of wrk for 4 months.  Jan. 2016 I got 4 spinal taps in emerge which caused lower back pain again and bad headaches which eventually subsided but I still get on occasion with certain positions of my body.  What are the long term effects of the spinal taps.  This pain refuses to go away.. It's been well over a year [/INST] Hi i am Dr Ahmed Aly    thanks for using HealthcareMagic site ,I had gone through your question and understand your concerns ..    In my opinion i think you may need some physical activities to prevent pressure on your spine and your back muscles . Physiotherapy sessions with a good chiropractor , hot massages , spinal straightening exercises and even yoga is very helpful in most of cases .   Try to avoid heavy lifting , obesity , over weighing , vigorous movements , bad sleeping or sitting postures and you will be fine .   Long term effects may include headaches ( post lumbar pucture )it may stay for 2 to 3 weeks , back pain or discomfort , bleeding or brain stem herniation are the most common effects .    Try to follow previous instructions and if pain persist i recommend MRI on spine to rule out any kind of spinal injuries like discs or herniation and follow them up with your neurologist for proper evaluation and management . Please click and consider a 5 star rating with some positive feedback if the information was helpful. Wish you good health,Any further clarifications feel free to ask. </s>