High intracranial pressure is a rather serious pathology, which seems to some patients to be a death sentence. In fact, this kind of entry in the medical record is not a cause for panic. Not in every case, increased intracranial pressure indicates the presence of a serious problem. To exclude it, timely diagnosis is necessary.

general information

Intracranial pressure (increased) is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in some parts of the skull, provoked by a violation of its circulation. This liquid is called liquor. It is localized mainly in the ventricles of the brain. The main function of the cerebrospinal fluid is to protect the gray matter from all kinds of mechanical damage and overload.

The fluid is absolutely always under a certain pressure. Moreover, it is constantly renewed by circulation from one part to another. In the event of any violations or failures, the cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in one area. As a result, increased intracranial pressure occurs. Symptoms of this pathology may vary depending on its primary causes.

Classification of ICP in adults

In medical practice, two forms of this pathological condition are distinguished: acute and chronic. Let's look at each option in more detail below.

1. An acute condition is usually the result of intracranial hemorrhage or severe brain damage, which is characteristic of a stroke or aneurysm rupture. In some cases, this change is fatal. To normalize a person's condition, doctors most often resort to craniotomy. This procedure involves the removal of individual sections of the skull through surgical intervention. This approach allows you to reduce intracranial pressure as soon as possible.
2. Symptoms and treatment of the chronic form are somewhat different. This pathology is a neurological disorder. may appear for no apparent reason or be the result of mechanical damage, various ailments, taking certain groups of drugs. The chronic form entails quite serious consequences for human health, one of which is a rapidly progressive decrease in vision.

The main causes of increased ICP in adults

Various factors can contribute to this problem, including the following:

• Violations at the level of metabolic processes, accompanied by poor absorption of fluid into the blood.
• Vasospasm, which negatively affects the normal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.
• Excessive volumes of fluid in the body, resulting in an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid.
• Stroke.
• Meningitis.
• Encephalitis.
• Overweight.
• Frequent migraines.
• An overdose of vitamin A in the body.
• Violation of the normal outflow of blood.
• Brain tumor.
• body intoxication.

Symptoms of ICP in adults

This pathology is determined by a number of accompanying signs, namely:

• Headaches or a constant feeling of heaviness is the first symptom of intracranial pressure (increased). Most often, discomfort occurs in the morning and at night. Headaches are intense.
• Vegetative-vascular dystonia. This manifestation is accompanied by a fainting state, a decrease in blood pressure, increased sweating and palpitations.
• Nausea, and in some cases vomiting in the morning.
• Nervousness and irritability.
• Fatigue is another symptom of intracranial pressure (raised). In some patients, even after a full night's sleep, a feeling of fatigue remains.
• Decreased potency and libido.
• Meteorological dependence.
• The appearance of characteristic dark circles under the eyes.
• Swelling of the face and eyelids. Such a symptom of intracranial pressure (high), as a rule, is an impetus to immediately seek help from a doctor.
• Pain in the region of the cervical vertebrae and the spinal cord itself.
• Violation of the reaction of the eyes.

It is important to understand that elevated ICP is not a disease. Its presence is considered natural for a healthy person. The so-called situational signs of intracranial pressure in adults can appear during the day as a response to the action of various factors (for example, a change in the usual position of the body).

Features of ICP in children

Intracranial pressure (raised) in young patients can occur due to a variety of reasons. These include rare hereditary diseases, neuroinfections, and complex traumatic brain injuries.

What causes increased intracranial pressure in infants? Most often, this kind of pathology is diagnosed due to prolonged labor, difficult pregnancy, or a fairly common entanglement of the umbilical cord. As a result, the baby develops hypoxia. In the early stages, his brain tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen on its own by increasing the production of fluid, which consistently fills the skull and constantly presses on the brain. After the baby is born, there is a restoration of functions. Intracranial pressure in infants eventually returns to normal.

Sometimes doctors record a persistent increase in ICP with hydrocephalus. In total, two forms of this pathology are distinguished: congenital and acquired. The first option occurs due to hemorrhages, various anomalies at the genetic level. In the first weeks of life, it is already possible to diagnose a congenital form of pathology, and its timely treatment allows the baby to keep up with their peers in development.

How to recognize increased intracranial pressure in children? Symptoms

The primary signs indicating the development of this problem have their own characteristics. Initially, in infants, the fontanel increases. As a result, the head becomes very large. Right now, parents should seek the advice of a doctor, because all the signs indicate a pathology such as increased intracranial pressure. In children, symptoms may also include:

• Increased irritability, tearfulness for no apparent reason.
• Disproportionate head size (excessively protruding forehead).
• Graefe's symptom. Between the iris and directly the upper eyelid of the eye, you can see a strip of white sclera. Such a symptom of intracranial pressure (increased) is the main confirmation of the presence of pathology.
• Slow development. The child later begins to crawl, stand up and hold his head.
• No weight gain.
• Lethargy and drowsiness.

Signs of increased intracranial pressure in older children:

• Vomiting and nausea.
• Apathy, tearfulness, drowsiness.
• Discomfort behind the eyes.
• Regular headaches.
• Fatigue and constant weakness.

Diagnostics

A problem such as increased intracranial pressure should not be ignored. The symptoms of this condition, which are described in this article, should alert everyone and become an impetus for going to the doctor. Only after a complete examination can a specialist recommend a truly effective treatment. The main methods for confirming the diagnosis are as follows:

• EEG of the brain. This procedure, unfortunately, cannot confirm 100% pathology, since a normal EEG is now extremely rare.
• CT. This method allows the specialist to consider all the changes that occur in the brain.
• MRI using a contrast agent.

Diagnosis of elevated ICP in young patients is somewhat different. If the child has signs of intracranial pressure (increased), you should immediately report them to the doctor. A specialist after a series of tests will be able to confirm or refute the diagnosis. If a large fontanel is open in a newborn, an ultrasound examination of the brain is prescribed. Otherwise, this method is called neurosonography. It is also necessary to show the child to an ophthalmologist.

Measurement of ICP

To check the pressure, a special catheter is inserted into one of the ventricles of the brain, since it is in this area that the cerebrospinal fluid is localized. This method is considered one of the most reliable.

How to measure intracranial pressure? Also, doctors often use the so-called subdural screw. This device is inserted into a small burr hole in the skull itself. During the procedure, a transducer is placed in the area between the skull and the dural tissue itself. As a rule, the hair on the head is shaved off before the patients, and the skin is treated with an antiseptic. Then a small incision is made and the skin is pulled back so that the skull is visible. At the final stage, the sensor is introduced. This kind of procedure is not always performed and only for medical reasons.

The decision on which option to choose, how to measure intracranial pressure, is made by the doctor himself, depending on many factors.

Conservative therapy

The choice of a specific method of treatment directly depends on the reasons that provoked the development of such an unpleasant condition. ICP in itself is not a pathology. The above signs of intracranial pressure in adults and children (increased) are the result of any problems of a physiological nature associated with blood circulation and directly with the brain.

If the diagnosis is made correctly and in a timely manner, the specialist selects medications suitable for a particular patient, procedures that allow not only to normalize ICP, but also to eliminate the underlying disease that provoked it.

The following treatment options are currently the most common:

• Prescribing diuretics.
• The use of sedatives. Diet therapy.
• invasive procedures.
• Manual therapy.
• The use of "vascular" drugs.
• The use of medicinal herbs.
• Gymnastics.

Some of these options are designed solely for symptomatic relief of the patient's condition. Others allow you to completely eliminate the root cause of the pathology. As for the issue of medicines, Diakarb tablets have recently been the most popular. With intracranial pressure (increased), this remedy is prescribed not only for adult patients, but also for children. The drug belongs to the category of diuretics.

The mechanism of action of absolutely all diuretics is based on the removal of excess fluid by the kidneys, which, in turn, lowers the pressure of the CSF. Of course, before starting treatment, you should consult your doctor. In general, the remedy "Diakarb" with intracranial pressure (increased) is prescribed to absolutely all patients, since it has no side effects.

In addition, the drug "Glycerol" has a high dehydrating effect. Once in the bloodstream, the molecules of this agent “bind” and then remove fluid from the body, as a result, intracranial and intraocular pressure drops.

Also, to reduce the manifestations of pathology, the following treatment can be prescribed:

• Nootropics such as Piracetam, Phenotropil, Pantogam.
• Vitamins.
• Homeopathic remedies.
• "Vascular" drugs responsible for improving cerebral circulation (Means "Sermion", "Cavinton", "Cinnarizine").

If the cause of increased ICP lies in an infectious lesion of the brain, tumors or other serious problems, patients are most often recommended nootropic drugs and special vitamin complexes. Of course, malignant neoplasms require removal. If a neuroinfection has been diagnosed, broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs are recommended.

How to relieve intracranial pressure (increased) in young patients? Treatment in this case should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor after a complete diagnostic examination. It usually includes the following options:

• To eliminate the existing consequences of a difficult pregnancy, the child should be breastfed, and the sleep regimen recommended by pediatricians should be observed.
• A small patient is prescribed drugs to normalize the work of the central nervous system, improve blood circulation, diuretics and vitamins.
• Physiotherapy treatments are considered an excellent option.
• If anatomical abnormalities are the cause of high ICP, surgery is performed.

It is important to note that it is almost impossible to completely eliminate the disease that provoked the appearance of this kind of pathology through acupuncture or massage. All these methods can alleviate the adult, but not eliminate the root cause, if any.

Surgical treatment

According to experts, the most severe is the condition provoked by hydrocephalus. This is a pathology at the congenital level, explained by a violation of the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. If the fluid accumulates in excess volumes, it begins to exert increased pressure on the meninges. Lack of timely treatment can lead to the development of quite dangerous complications, including impaired mental abilities.

Fortunately, today specialists can diagnose this pathology in a timely and competent manner. As a rule, parents learn about such a problem after the first examination of the child by a neurologist. Note that the tablets in this case are ineffective against intracranial pressure. Hydrocephalus cannot be cured solely by conservative therapy. The drugs have an exclusively symptomatic effect, somewhat relieving headaches.

To restore the normal functioning of the brain and treat hydrocephalus, as a rule, a fairly serious operation is required. Doctors carry out drainage of the ventricles, as a result of which excess CSF is brought out.

As noted above, if the cause of high ICP lies in the tumor, the neoplasm must also be removed surgically.

How to relieve intracranial pressure? ethnoscience

Our grandmothers' recipes should not be used as the first line of treatment. It is better to resort to the help of traditional medicine as an addition to the main therapy.

1. Lemon juice with honey. You will need to take one lemon, cut it in half and squeeze the juice. Then, 100 ml of the most ordinary boiled water and a couple of tablespoons of honey must be added to the liquid. The resulting mixture should be gently mixed and drunk. Such a course of treatment should be no more than 20 days. Then there is a break for 10 days.
2. Plantain. Symptoms of intracranial pressure in an adult can be somewhat reduced if you use the following recipe. You will need to take three tablespoons of dried plantain (sold in a pharmacy), pour a mixture of 500 ml of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. It is recommended to take 50 g of decoction three times a day.
3. Pollen with honey. This tool is intended for external use, or rather, for head massage. It is necessary to take two parts of pollen and one part of honey. Then you should mix the ingredients in one bowl and put it in a dark place for three days. After this time, it is necessary to rub the mixture in small portions into the region of the bridge of the nose, the back of the head and the back of the neck. The procedure is recommended to be repeated daily for one month.

Thanks to all of the above recipes, many patients manage to normalize intracranial pressure. Alternative treatment, we note again, should not be used as the main method of combating pathology. This type of therapy should only be used as an adjunct.

Forecast

Properly selected therapy can not only reduce the symptoms of pathology just a few days after the start of treatment, but also improve the patient's condition.

Note that one can hope for positive results only if it was possible to identify and eliminate the main cause, which provoked the development of this problem. It can be a neoplasm, including a malignant one, as well as an improper outflow of fluid.

With regard to young patients, by the age of six months, in most of them, the condition returns to normal. If tablets and other therapeutic measures do not help against intracranial pressure, the diagnosis sounds somewhat different. Minimal brain dysfunction is the new name for the pathology. However, parents should not worry ahead of time. Such a diagnosis indicates that the child has a weak central nervous system; at critical moments, ICP may increase.

In order not to face this problem, doctors strongly recommend undergoing preventive treatment in the autumn and spring periods. It is also important to limit the load, parents should normalize the situation in the family, try to avoid conflict situations. The child should be systematically observed by a neurologist.

You should not be afraid that ICP will cause mental retardation. Pathology does not reduce the intelligence of the child, and in some cases even contributes to the development of features such as excellent memory.

Consequences

Despite the fact that ICP is quite rarely fatal, the pathology should not be left unattended. Lack of timely treatment can cause paralysis or cerebral hemorrhage.

Conclusion

In this article, we told in as much detail as possible what constitutes such a pathology as increased intracranial pressure, the symptoms and treatment of which are closely related. Timely seeking help from a doctor and strict adherence to all his recommendations allow you to forget about such a problem forever. Be healthy!

The brain tissue is very sensitive to mechanical influences. Therefore, nature has placed the human brain in addition to the bone box (skull) in a protective fluid environment (subarachnoid fluid spaces) and provided it with internal fluid cavities (ventricles). Thus, the brain is actually suspended in a liquid - CSF (other names - cerebrospinal fluid or CSF). Liquor is in the cranial cavity under a certain pressure. It is the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid on the brain that is called intracranial pressure .

A normal level of intracranial pressure is very important for a person's well-being. Increased intracranial pressure is not an independent disease, but a symptom of many neurological diseases.

Causes of increased intracranial pressure

All fluid spaces and ventricles are interconnected by ducts. Liquor constantly circulates. In some parts of the brain, it is secreted, and then flows through the liquor ducts to other parts of the brain, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Full renewal of CSF occurs on average 7 times a day.

Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid causes an increase in its pressure on the substance of the brain. This is called increased intracranial pressure (intracranial hypertension).

Three common causes of chronic increased intracranial pressure:

1. too much liquor is released;
2. CSF is not fully absorbed;
3. the patency of the CSF circulation pathways is impaired.

Increased intracranial pressure and hydrocephalus lead to:

• craniocerebral injury (even a very old one, up to a birth injury, concussion, brain bruises);
• meningitis or encephalitis;
• congenital structural features of the central nervous system (Arnold-Chiari anomaly, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, etc.);
• poisoning (including medication and alcohol);
• circulatory disorders in the vessels of the brain (for example, ischemia, encephalopathy, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine);
• hypoxia;
• intracranial volumetric processes (tumors of the brain, meninges, hemorrhages in the brain and intracranial hematomas).

Hydrocephalus

If intracranial pressure is increased significantly and for a sufficiently long time, the fluid cavities of the brain can expand - this expansion is called hydrocephalus . Since the cranial cavity is a closed space, the expansion of the fluid cavities of the brain occurs due to a decrease in the mass of the medulla itself. This process can adversely affect health.

MRI scan of a normal brain. The substance of the brain is shown in gray, the cerebrospinal fluid is shown in white. The normal size of the fluid spaces of the brain (they are slit-like). The ventricles are visible inside the brain. Subarachnoid spaces - a white border around the brain.

MRI scans for intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus. The result of inadequate treatment of increased intracranial pressure. Excessive accumulation of CSF inside the brain (in the form of a butterfly) and outside the brain (wide white border) is visible. The volume of the medulla is reduced - atrophy of the brain from fluid pressure.

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure

Increased pressure on the substance of the brain can disrupt the functioning of the central nervous system. Hence the characteristic symptoms:

Heaviness in the head or headaches, increasing in the morning or in the second half of the night;
In severe cases, nausea and / or vomiting in the morning is possible;
· Vegetative-vascular dystonia (sweating, drop or increase in blood pressure, palpitations, pre-syncope states, etc.) is an almost obligatory symptom;
· Fatigue, "stupefaction", easy exhaustion during work or study loads;
· Nervousness;
· "Bruises" under the gases (if you stretch the skin under the eyes in the "bruise" area, dilated small veins are visible);
Possible decrease in sexual desire, potency;
If the human body is in a horizontal position, the cerebrospinal fluid is released more actively, and absorbed more slowly, so intracranial pressure and its symptoms tend to peak in the second half of the night or in the morning;
Intracranial pressure is the higher, the lower the atmospheric pressure, so the deterioration is associated with a change in the weather.

The diagnosis of intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus is established by doctors on the basis of characteristic symptoms and on the basis of data from special studies, such as brain tomography.

Diagnostics for suspected increased intracranial pressure (intracranial hypertension), hydrocephalus

Direct measurement of intracranial pressure is possible only by inserting a special needle with a manometer connected to it into the fluid cavities of the skull or spinal canal. Therefore, direct measurement of intracranial pressure is not applicable due to the invasiveness of the procedure.

Signs of changes in intracranial pressure in children and adult patients are detected during the following examination procedures:

• neurological examination
• brain MRI
• fundus examination
• performing a lumbar puncture
• x-ray of the bones of the skull
• REG (rheoencephalography)

An increase in intracranial pressure can be said with certainty based on the following data:

Expansion, tortuosity of the fundus veins is an indirect but reliable sign of increased intracranial pressure;
- Expansion of the fluid cavities of the brain and rarefaction of the medulla along the edge of the ventricles of the brain, clearly visible on computed x-ray tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
- Violation of the outflow of venous blood from the cranial cavity, established using ultrasound vascular studies.
- a decrease in the pulse wave on the REG study (on the rheoencephalogram)

How much the brain suffers from an increase in intracranial pressure can be judged by EEG data.

The gold standard for instrumental examination of patients is an assessment of symptoms, brain tomography data and fundus and EEG.

Echoencephalography (Echo-EG) provides indirect and not always reliable data on increased intracranial pressure, it is less reliable than CT and MRI, so this method is rarely used.

intracranial hypertension. Hydrocephalus - treatment

The human brain cannot work normally under the influence of excessive pressure, moreover, a slow atrophy of the white medulla occurs, and this leads to a slow decrease in intellectual abilities, a violation of the nervous regulation of the internal organs (hormonal disorders, arterial hypertension, etc.). Therefore, it is necessary to take all measures for the speedy normalization of intracranial pressure.

In the treatment of increased intracranial pressure, it is important to reduce the excretion and increase the absorption of CSF. Traditionally, it is customary to prescribe diuretics for this purpose. However, the constant use of diuretics is not always acceptable for the patient.

Treatment methods are used to normalize intracranial pressure without drugs. These are special gymnastics to reduce intracranial pressure (used by the patient independently), individual drinking regimen and small changes in nutrition, unloading the venous bed of the head using soft manual therapy methods, acupuncture and physiotherapy.

Thus, a steady decrease in intracranial pressure is achieved without the constant use of diuretics, after which the unpleasant symptoms gradually decrease. The effect is usually noticeable already in the first week of treatment.

Increased intracranial pressure can be cured only if the disease that caused this symptom is treated.

Surgical treatment of hydrocephalus

In very severe cases (for example, CSF block after neurosurgical operations or congenital CSF block), surgical treatment is used. For example, a technology has been developed for implanting tubes (shunts) to drain excess CSF.

PS: Dehydration (vomiting, diarrhea, large blood loss), chronic stress, vegetative-vascular dystonia, depression, neurosis, diseases accompanied by impaired blood circulation in the vessels of the brain (for example, ischemia, encephalopathy, cervical osteochondrosis) lead to a decrease in intracranial pressure (hypotension). ).

Content

Every third person faces ICP. It occurs due to a lack or excess of CSF - cerebrospinal fluid, which serves to protect the brain from mechanical damage. Normal ICP of a healthy person is about 5-7 mmHg. If intracranial pressure is noted, symptoms in adults may vary.

Signs of increased intracranial pressure in adults

Self-diagnosis of ICP is very difficult. Often, one cannot do without the help of a specialist, only he will be able to prescribe the necessary studies and, based on the interpretation of the results, make a verdict. If you notice a deterioration in your health, listen to yourself, perhaps you are not just tired or nervous at work. The main signs of increased intracranial pressure in adults:

• severe bursting headache;
• dizziness, shortness of breath, chills;
• increased blood pressure (BP);
• reaction to changing weather conditions;
• morning sickness, possible vomiting;
• the appearance of dark circles under the eyes that do not go away after sleep;
• increased sweating, sweating of the limbs;
• decreased libido;
• temporary blurred vision, double vision, black dots;
• arrhythmia;
• fatigue, increased agitation and nervousness.

Symptoms of low intracranial pressure

Reduced intracranial pressure is much less common, but no less dangerous. If you notice 2-3 signs of this disease behind you, contact a specialist as soon as possible. He will conduct the necessary studies and prescribe treatment, if necessary. The main symptoms of low intracranial pressure:

• flashes, bright spots before the eyes;
• evening headaches, migraine;
• tinnitus, hearing loss;
• swelling of the face;
• weakness, low level of efficiency;
• soreness of the skull when sneezing or coughing;
• persistent drowsiness;
• pain in the upper spine.

Among women

Basically, the symptoms of intracranial pressure in women are classic. Sometimes severe swelling and soreness of the extremities can be added to them. It is noticed that girls have a higher pain threshold, but at the same time they are much more sensitive to minor pain, so the disease in them can proceed in a more acute form. Often among the complaints of the weaker sex can be found:

• high blood pressure;
• redness of the eyeball;
• pressing pain in the neck;
• increased heart rate;
• tachycardia;
• increased salivation;
• severe headache.

In men

Often, the symptoms of intracranial pressure in men go unnoticed due to low sensitivity and a somewhat careless attitude towards their own health. It is much easier to take a pill from the head and continue your usual way of life than to decide to visit a doctor and undergo an examination. However, it is not worth starting ICP, because this is a serious pathology, due to which there is a high risk of earning more serious diseases. How does intracranial pressure manifest in adult men:

• throbbing headache;
• a sharp increase in blood pressure;
• dyspnea;
• paresis of the spinal muscles;
• increased irritability and nervousness.

How to diagnose intracranial pressure in an adult

You can make a diagnosis of intracranial pressure in any clinic in the direction of a therapist. Basically, methods are used for this, which give only an approximate result, but this is enough to determine the need for treatment and prevention. The specialist will prescribe all the necessary recommendations and medicines after a full examination.

There are three main accurate measurement methods:

1. The epidural method consists in trepanation of the cranium and the subsequent introduction of a special sensor into the hole that transmits data to a computer. In this way, ICP can be measured, but excess CSF cannot be removed.
2. The subdural method is rarely used. During the procedure, a specialized screw is used, with which indicators are determined. It is removed immediately after the study.
3. The intraventricular method is the most modern and widespread, it consists in introducing a catheter into the skull through a specially drilled hole. The main advantages of such a study are that it is possible to pump out excess fluid if necessary and reduce ICP.

Any of these methods is dangerous, and is used only if all the signs indicate the exact presence of the disease, there are injuries, cerebral edema, or other life-threatening indications for the patient. In other situations, less risky non-invasive examination methods are used that will not harm health. However, it is extremely difficult to achieve an accurate result.

An increase in intracranial pressure may indicate the development of neoplasms in the brain, its infectious lesion, or be the result of a cerebral hemorrhage.

For the diagnosis of many diseases, a procedure such as measuring intracranial pressure is necessary. The technique is carried out only in a medical institution by a qualified specialist. How to check intracranial pressure, and why is it necessary?

The level of intracranial pressure is diagnosed for preventive purposes: in patients with diseases that can cause it to increase. In addition, ICP should be measured when indicated, that is, if there are certain symptoms.

For this procedure, you will have to contact a neurologist. Only he has the right to measure ICP. The neurologist reveals the anamnesis of the disease, evaluates the dynamics of complaints. In addition, the doctor will examine the patient and, if necessary, prescribe an additional examination.

How is intracranial pressure measured?

You can assess the level of ICP using several examinations and consultations of narrow specialists:

• examination by an ophthalmologist with measurement of intraocular pressure;
• ultrasonography in newborns and children under the age of one year (ultrasound examination of the brain);
• electroencephalography to assess the electrical activity of the brain;
• neuroimaging methods - computer and magnetic resonance imaging - for a more accurate assessment of the state of the brain ventricles;
• spinal puncture followed by microscopic examination of the cerebrospinal fluid is the most accurate and complete technique.

Now we should consider in more detail each technique: how it is carried out and what results can be obtained.

Measurement of intraocular pressure

• expansion of retinal vessels;
• edematous optic disc.

Identified suspicious symptoms are an indication for measuring intraocular pressure with a Maklakov tonometer. If it exceeds the norm, there is a high probability that ICP is also elevated.

Ultrasonography

This technique is carried out only in children under one year old. What is the age limit? The bones of the skull in an adult and even in a child are quite dense and do not transmit ultrasonic waves. However, in children under one year old, fontanelles have not yet closed - empty spaces between the bones of the skull. It is in this area that the sensors of the device are superimposed.

The result, indicating an increase in intracranial pressure, is an increase in the volume of the cerebral ventricles. This technique is indirect, since it does not give exact figures for the level of ICP.

Electroencephalography

The technique is carried out similarly to electrocardiography. Electrodes are placed on the patient's skull and brain biopotentials are recorded. Certain changes in electrical activity indicate an increase in intracranial pressure. These include the following:

• the emergence of high-frequency rhythms;
• chaotic excitation of brain structures;
• diffuse changes.

CT and MRI

This type of examination can be carried out at any age, there are practically no contraindications to it. Such a study allows you to see the structure of the brain in layers and diagnose any, even the smallest, pathological changes.

However, this diagnosis is also indirect, because you can only see the signs that high ICP can manifest. Most often, this is an increase in the ventricles of the brain and its other cavities or the detection of a tumor in the brain tissue.

Other signs of a possible increase in ICP may include the following conditions:

• change in the density of the medulla;
• the presence of blood clots in the venous sinuses;
• swelling of the brain substance;
• hemorrhage into the substance of the brain or into the ventricles.

Spinal puncture

The method allows not only to assess the level of intracranial pressure, but also to identify the possible cause of its increase. The puncture is carried out according to certain rules in the conditions of the treatment room.

Already by the way the cerebrospinal fluid flows out of the puncture needle, you can find out the level of ICP:

• if it drains in rare drops, then the pressure is within normal limits;
• if the cerebrospinal fluid falls in frequent drops or a jet, this is a sign of an increase in ICP.

To accurately know its level, a pressure gauge is connected to the needle - the norm is pressure from 80 to 170 mm of water column.

If the cerebrospinal fluid is transparent, the cause of the increase in ICP may be the presence of a tumor formation in the brain. When it contains blood impurities, the cause should be associated with a hemorrhage in the ventricles of the brain. If the liquid is cloudy, this is a sign of an infectious lesion of the membranes of the brain.

The exact cause is diagnosed after a biochemical and bacteriological study of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Rarely used is a method such as inserting a catheter into the ventricles of the brain and connecting a manometer to it. This definition of ICP is the most accurate. However, the method is associated with a high risk of side effects.

What are the signs of elevated ICP

There are certain manifestations that suggest an increase in intracranial pressure and receive medical attention in time. How to determine that ICP has increased, on my own?

First of all, these are intense headaches that do not go away after taking painkillers. Pain radiates to the eyeballs, heaviness and pressure are felt in the eyes, flies appear, light spots and stripes appear.

In addition, with increased ICP, the patient is worried about tinnitus, hearing loss, nausea, periodically turning into vomiting.

With a long-term increased ICP, intellectual abilities suffer, the character changes, and vision gradually deteriorates.

Children can also develop increased intracranial pressure, which is usually a congenital condition. In this case, hydrocephalus or dropsy of the brain is formed. The head of such children looks disproportionately large in relation to the body. The child is restless, often screams, he has a poor appetite. The fontanelles close much later than in a healthy child.

Missing or untimely treatment can lead to the formation of a brain aneurysm, the development of a stroke.

CSF pressure can increase due to various diseases:

• brain tumors, benign and malignant;
• congenital vascular pathologies;
• infectious meningitis and encephalitis;
• closed craniocerebral injury.

Treatment of such pathologies is possible only in a neurological or infectious diseases hospital. If a patient with high ICP is identified, urgent hospitalization is necessary. Treatment can be conservative or surgical.

For conservative treatment, medications are used: diuretics, colloidal solutions for intravenous administration, glucocorticoids. With the ineffectiveness of such therapy, surgical intervention is prescribed. In children, the most commonly used shunt is from the ventricles of the brain to the abdominal cavity. Adults undergo craniotomy to reduce pressure on the brain.

Severe headaches, impaired visual function, dizziness, absent-mindedness, and memory impairment against the background of nausea and vomiting are common symptoms that indicate that a person has a change in intracranial pressure (ICP). Drops in ICP are caused by a deficiency or excess of cerebrospinal fluid in one of the parts of the skull, and are short-term or chronic.

Intracranial pressure disorders require constant monitoring and treatment

Causes of ICP

In healthy men and women, ICP is in the range of 5-15 mm Hg. Art. In children, this figure is normally slightly lower:

• in a newborn child and up to a year of life - 1.5-6 mm Hg. Art.;
• in children from 1 to 12 years old - 4.5-7 mm Hg. Art.;
• in adolescents - 4-15 mm Hg. Art.

Pressure in the cranium occurs when the intracranial fluid (liquor) changes - when its pathogenic increase or decrease occurs. This action is influenced by a number of external and internal factors.

Increased intracranial pressure

ICP rises as a result of an increase in cerebrospinal fluid, interstitial fluid or blood inside the skull. The following conditions are capable of provoking pathogenic changes:

• oxygen starvation of the brain;
• inflammation of the meninges;
• failures in the normal absorption of cerebrospinal fluid into the blood;
• violation of the movement of cerebrospinal fluid due to spasms in the vessels that occur at regular intervals;
• congenital anomalies of the skull - underdevelopment of the cranium (small size);
• migraine;
• tumor neoplasms in the brain;
• stroke.

Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels can provoke a decrease in intracranial pressure

Prolonged vasoconstriction, poisoning the body with alcohol, medicines, lack of vitamins and minerals also adversely affect the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. Often, the pressure inside the cranium decreases due to allergic reactions, chronic overwork, stress, depression.

Symptoms and signs of intracranial pressure

ICP changes occur in both adults and children. It is impossible to measure the pressure in the cranium on your own, but to understand that it is precisely in it that the characteristic symptoms help.

How does ICP manifest in adults?

The main sign of a change in ICP is a severe headache in the entire cranium. The person experiences a feeling of fullness in the head. Discomfort is aggravated by bending over, sneezing, coughing, early in the morning before waking up. A characteristic feature of such pain is that it is not relieved by painkillers.

Stagnation or failures in the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid has other signs.

1. Violation of visual perception. Due to pressure on the fundus, a person has a fog before his eyes, doubling and fuzziness of the picture, deterioration of peripheral vision, and attacks of blindness are observed. With increased ICP, the patient's eyeballs increase, which provokes protrusion of the eyes, up to the inability to close the eyelids.
2. Nausea with frequent vomiting. With intracranial pressure after vomiting, a person does not feel relief.
3. Dizziness up to fainting spells. At this time, the patient's eyes darken or bright flashes appear.
4. heart pain, which are accompanied by shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, low or high blood pressure.
5. Drowsiness, fatigue, chronic loss of strength.

Dizziness often occurs with ICP

Jumps in intracranial pressure are also found in healthy people. They are manifested by sudden throbbing pains in the head, darkening of the eyes, nausea. Episodes are short-lived, occur with a sharp rise from the bed, sneezing, coughing, and pass in the shortest possible time (5-15 seconds).

Symptoms of ICP in children

In newborns and infants, symptoms such as:

• night sleep disturbance;
• the appearance of seizures;
• swelling of the fontanel and its constant pulsation;
• chaotic and unconscious movement of the eyeballs;
• the appearance of a clearly defined venous network on the head, an increase in the skull (hydrocephalus);
• imbalance of muscle tissue tone - part of the muscles is relaxed, part is very tense.

With jumps in intracranial pressure, the child behaves restlessly, often cries, eats poorly. The increase in symptoms indicates the progression of the pathology.

How to measure intracranial pressure?

Intracranial pressure is determined using transcripts of modern diagnostic methods.

1. Ophthalmoscopy- examination of the fundus in order to determine the condition of its vessels and the optic nerve head. Dilated and tortuous capillaries, changes in the color of the tissue and the contour of the disc indicate an increase in ICP.
2. (magnetic resonance imaging) - assess the state of the ventricles of the brain, the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid and the quality of its absorption into the blood.
3. Rheoencephalography- the degree of resistance of the brain and cranial tissues in response to a weak high-frequency current is studied. Using this method, the amount of cerebrospinal fluid, the state of blood vessels and the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid are determined.
4. duplex scanning- the speed of blood movement and the condition of the vessels are assessed by analyzing the carotid and vertebral arteries.

MRI can accurately determine the state of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid

In newborns, infants and children from 1 to 10 years old, neurosonography is used to measure ICP - monitoring the state of the brain ventricles. No less popular is the echoencephaloscopy method, which studies the volume of cerebrospinal fluid, its ability to be absorbed into the blood, and the rate of circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. The study is carried out by ultrasound diagnostics of pathological changes.

Which doctor should I contact?

Regular bouts of darkening in the eyes with sudden movements, frequent dizziness and severe headaches without specific localization are a reason.

See a neurologist if you suspect ICP

During the examination, the doctor prescribes an additional consultation with:

Comprehensive diagnostics, examination by several specialists helps to identify the real cause of changes in ICP and correctly treat the pathology.

Treatment of ICP

Jumps in intracranial pressure - a dangerous phenomenon for humans. You can not ignore the negative signs, it is important to normalize the patient's condition as soon as possible.

What to do with high intracranial pressure?

With the manifestation of symptoms of increased ICP, it is important for the patient to properly provide first aid. Pharmaceutical preparations are used for treatment, if they are ineffective, then surgery is indispensable.

First aid

In case of a sharp deterioration in well-being, be sure to call an ambulance and provide first aid to the patient:

• put a person on a bed, put a high pillow under his head;
• measure blood pressure - with an increase, give a diuretic to drink;
• measure body temperature - try to bring down high rates with antipyretic drugs;
• do not try to normalize rapid breathing - this is how the body tries to reduce increased ICP.

If symptoms are present, measure blood pressure

With high intracranial pressure, you can not take vasoconstrictor drugs and drink plenty of fluids.

Medications

Several groups of drugs help reduce intracranial pressure and reduce negative symptoms.

1. - Citramon, Farmadol, Isoptin, Pentalgin, Panadol, Askofen.
2. Diuretic drugs - Diakarb, Acetazolamide, Furosemide.
3. Beta-blockers - Tenorica, Bisoprolol, Corinfar, Atenolol, Metaprolol.
4. Nootropics - Phenotropil, Glycine, Actovegin; Microhydrin.

Citramon will help to cope with pain in ICP

Magnesium solution helps to quickly remove high intracranial pressure. The substance makes it possible to urgently eliminate the symptoms of ICP and prevent the development of complications such as stroke, cerebral edema, and hemorrhage.

The main task of drug therapy is to relieve pain, normalize the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid and its circulation, saturate brain cells with oxygen and remove excess fluid from the body.

→ List of the best pills for intracranial pressure

Surgical intervention

Surgical intervention is used when conservative treatment has not yielded results and the patient's health is deteriorating. There are 3 methods of operation.

1. Shunting of the subarachnoid cavity. In the space between the pia mater and the arachnoid, an artificial duct is made that removes excess cerebrospinal fluid into the abdominal cavity or right atrium.
2. Puncture- the removal of excess fluid from the brain occurs with the help of a long needle.
3. Endoscopic perforation of the fundus of the third ventricle- with the help of an endoscope, an additional channel is formed between the subarachnoid tissues and the bottom of the ventricle.

Shunting of the subarachnoid cavity is indicated for patients whose conservative treatment does not give a positive result.

Surgical intervention is the only solution to the problem with congenital pathologies of the brain, hydrocephalus, and neoplasms.

Folk remedies for treatment at home

It is realistic to achieve a reduction in high ICP using folk methods.

Medicine from alcohol tinctures

In equal parts (100 ml each), combine tinctures of hawthorn, valerian, motherwort, pour in mint and eucalyptus (25 ml each). Mix everything, add 7-10 clove sticks and set aside to infuse for 10-15 days. Healing tincture to use before each meal 3 times a day. Dosage - 25 drops at a time.

Decoction of mulberry branches

Mulberry decoction helps normalize ICP

Pour dried and chopped mulberry branches with cold water (2 tablespoons of raw materials per 1 liter), boil and boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain the cooled liquid and drink 200 ml before breakfast, lunch and dinner for

Lemon honey drink

Combine the juice of a large lemon with 2 tbsp. l. liquid honey, add half a glass of warm water, stir. Drink within an hour. Means to take with severe headaches every morning an hour before meals. The course is up to 1 month.

Mint lotions

Mint lotions will help improve well-being with ICP

Boil 100 g of mint in 1 liter of water for 20 minutes. Cool the liquid to about 45 degrees, moisten a cotton cloth in it and wrap your head. Keep compresses on the head until cool, repeating the procedure until the decoction is over.

Folk remedies help to normalize the patient's condition well if ICP is caused by minor head injuries, overwork, osteochondrosis of the spine.

How to treat low intracranial pressure?

An insufficient amount of cerebrospinal fluid is no less dangerous than its excess. The patient also needs first aid. To combat the manifested condition, drugs are used, and in the absence of a positive result, surgical intervention is performed.

First aid

With a strong deterioration in well-being, be sure to call an ambulance and take a series of measures to alleviate the condition.

1. Lie down on the bed and put a rolled up blanket or a large pillow under your feet - this will help speed up blood circulation.
2. Drink strong green or black tea with honey. A cup of hot coffee helps to raise ICP.
3. Drop 20 drops of ginseng alcohol tincture (, magnolia vine, leuzia) into a glass of water, drink. The tool will help to quickly increase low pressure and normalize the condition.

To quickly increase ICP, drip an alcohol tincture of ginseng

If the head is not very dizzy, there is no vomiting, a contrast shower is recommended. The alternation of warm and cold water stimulates blood circulation and increases vascular tone, which contributes to the normal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.

Preparations

Acute and chronic pathologies that provoke a critical decrease in ICP are treated with medication. Several groups of drugs are used at once.

1. Drugs to stimulate blood flow and increase vascular tone - Cofetamine, Pyramein, Askofen, Saparal.
2. Amino acids - Glycine, Ortho-taurine, Citrulline, Cerebrolysin.
3. Nootropic substances that stimulate cerebral circulation - Phenibut, Piracetam, Vinpocetine.

Caffetamine is prescribed to increase vascular tone

The purpose of drug therapy is to improve cerebral circulation, reduce the load on the brain, stimulate volumetric processes, increase vascular tone.

Surgery

In case of head injuries, fistulas and defects of the meninges, as a result of which the cerebrospinal fluid leaks, surgical intervention is applied.

1. Shunting- decompression of the intracranial cavities is carried out, and workarounds for the unhindered movement of the CSF are created.
2. Subdural and epidural penetration- carried out with severe damage to the brain and cerebrospinal fluid. The extraction of injured tissues is done by trepanation of the cranium.
3. spinal puncture- is done to measure the exact pressure. If there is not enough fluid for normal functioning, saline is poured in in the amount that is not enough.

Spinal puncture helps to accurately determine the amount of fluid and replace it if necessary

Operations are performed in critical situations and are not recommended if there is a chance to normalize the condition with conservative therapy.

Folk recipes

A temporary decrease in intracranial pressure, which is not associated with chronic diseases, can really be normalized with the help of folk recipes.

Decoction of motherwort

Boil 250 ml of water, add 1 tsp. chopped herbs, boil for 10 minutes. Let the broth brew, then strain and drink in 2 visits with an interval of 2 hours. Repeat the procedure every day for 2 weeks.

Lemon honey drink with mint

Drink a Mint, Lemon, and Honey Drink Instead of Regular Tea to Treat ICP Problems

In 1 liter of boiling water, brew 3 sprigs of mint, sue, add the juice of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp. l. honey, stir. Infusion drink 3 times a day for 1 glass.

Lemon-garlic potion

Peel, mince 3 large lemons with peel and 3 peeled heads of garlic. Mix everything and pour in 1.2 liters of warm water, leave for a day. Take medicine every morning for 1 tbsp. l. within 21 days.

Infusion of nettle and succession

Use an infusion of nettle and string for a month to normalize ICP

In equal quantities (1.5 tablespoons each), mix nettle and string. Herbal mixture pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for 2 hours. Use a medicinal infusion before 50 ml 20 minutes before meals 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 30 days.

Bay leaf inhalation

In 1 liter of boiling water, brew 20 sheets of laurel and boil for 3 minutes. Breathe over the decoction for 10 minutes. Procedures to do in the morning and before bedtime. Treat until the negative symptoms of ICP are eliminated.

Therapy with folk methods is aimed at eliminating headaches, nausea, dizziness and constant fatigue, which are provoked by low intracranial pressure.

Diet to normalize ICP

Dietary nutrition helps to fight jumps in intracranial pressure.

Fatty, salty, smoked, spicy foods, sauces, seasonings, ketchup mayonnaise are excluded from the diet. The consumption of flour products, sweets, carbonated drinks, salt is limited.

From meat, preference is given to dietary varieties - beef, chicken, rabbit, turkey. From dairy products - low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, milk.

Fractional nutrition in small portions - optimal for ICP

Drink enough liquid per day - up to 2 liters. Try not to overeat, eat fractionally and in small portions.

Why is ICP dangerous?

A chronic increase or decrease in intracranial pressure without proper treatment leads to the development of health and life-threatening consequences.

1. Destruction of brain stem structures, as a result of which the heart rate slows down, body temperature drops, muscles weaken, reflexes are disturbed.
2. Epileptic syndrome develops- the constant pressure of excess cerebrospinal fluid on areas of the brain provokes convulsive seizures, similar to epilepsy.
3. Visual impairment- the death of nerve fibers and inflammatory processes in the retina develop due to strong compression of the optic nerve.
4. Ischemic stroke- appears due to a stop in metabolic processes in the brain as a result of compression of nerve tissues.
Lack of treatment leads to disability, and in severe cases, it can lead to death.

Prevention

Simple prevention helps to fight changes in ICP.

1. Stick to a sleep schedule. Sleep at least 8 hours a day and, if possible, take a nap during the day for about 30 minutes.
2. To live an active lifestyle. Going in for sports, visiting the pool, long walks in the fresh air contribute to the normalization of pressure and strengthening the body as a whole.
3. Timely treat chronic diseases - hypertension, hypotension.
4. Quit smoking. Nicotine interferes with the normal absorption of CSF and disrupts its circulation.

Proper sleep patterns can help prevent ICP problems

Compliance with the principles of prevention helps to maintain good health and prevent the development of dangerous consequences.