Elevated intracranial pressure is a dangerous condition that is not uncommon at present. According to statistics, in most cases, female persons suffer from it. Unfortunately, many people do not pay attention to the obvious symptoms of intracranial pressure. Treatment in such cases begins too late, which is fraught with sad consequences. The danger of the disease lies in the fact that it can occur at any age. That is why it is necessary to know about the methods of treating intracranial pressure, the symptoms and the reasons why it appears.
Development mechanism
The brain is the most important organ in humans. At the same time, it is very fragile, and any damage to it causes the development of severe pathological conditions. The cranial box is the main protection of the brain, and an extra layer is the cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrovascular fluid). Thus, the organ in it seems to be suspended and does not touch the bone tissue.
Normally, brain size and cerebrospinal fluid volume are constant. If any of these indicators changes, symptoms of intracranial pressure appear. Treatment in adults and children in this case should be carried out immediately. This is due to the fact that the pathological condition is not an independent disease, it only serves as a sign of the development of any dangerous ailment.
Causes
Intracranial pressure may increase under the influence of the following factors:
- The increase in the brain in size.
- Strengthening the production of cerebrovascular fluid.
- Violation of the circulation or the process of reverse absorption of cerebrospinal fluid.
These conditions never occur on their own. They are always the result of any disease.
The main pathologies that provoke a change in cerebrospinal fluid volume or brain size are:
- Large neoplasms of both benign and malignant nature.
- Pathologies of the brain and its membranes, having an infectious and inflammatory nature (encephalitis, meningitis).
- Sinus thrombosis. This is a rather rare pathology, characterized by circulatory disturbance in the brain, which is a consequence of the difficult outflow of liquid connective tissue from the organ due to the formation of clots.
- Hydrocephalus. This disease is congenital. It is characterized by a violation of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, in connection with which the fluid accumulates in the brain.
- Preeclampsia, eclampsia. These pathological conditions are forms of late toxicosis in which blood pressure in a short period of time can rise to critical levels.
- Large hematomas resulting from traumatic brain injuries.
- Ischemic stroke.
These pathologies are very serious. Regardless of the severity of symptoms of intracranial pressure, treatment in adults and children must begin when the first alarming signs appear. This is because the above diseases are dangerous to health and can have very serious consequences.
Symptoms
Due to the fact that intracranial pressure is one of the signs of any serious illness, it is necessary to recognize it in a timely manner.
The main symptoms of a pathological condition are:
- Headache. It occurs very often, it bothers for a long time, the nature of the manifestation is quite strong. As a rule, a headache appears immediately after waking up or at night. This is because the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid slows down when the body is in a horizontal position.
- The skin around the eyes becomes cyanotic. Sometimes under it you can notice a vascular pattern.
- Nausea turning into vomiting. Often it occurs in the morning.
- Constant feeling of weakness, reduced performance, fatigue.
- Weather dependence.
- Due to the swelling of the optic nerve, a person begins to see worse.
- Instability of the psychoemotional state.
The severity of symptoms may vary. Weak manifestations do not mean that a person does not require treatment. Other symptoms may be added to the symptoms of intracranial pressure in children and adults, if the underlying disease has given complications.
Diagnostics
Accurate measurement of an indicator of a pathological condition is currently almost impossible. This is due to the fact that the process is associated with a number of difficulties. One of them is the cranium, which protects the brain.
There are currently 2 direct measurement methods:
- Vertebral puncture. The inserted needle is connected to a pressure gauge. By the pressure of the resulting cerebrovascular fluid, intracranial is judged.
- The sensor of the device is inserted directly into the cranium.
These diagnostic methods are not only associated with certain difficulties, but also have side effects, which is undesirable for patients whose condition is already aggravated by exhausting symptoms.
Treatment of increased intracranial pressure in adults and children is prescribed, as a rule, according to the results of safer studies:
- Ultrasound In the process of diagnosis, the structure of the brain is studied, various violations can be detected. In addition, the device allows you to find out an approximate indicator of intracranial pressure. The method is informative only for infants who have not yet overgrown a large fontanel.
- Fundus examination. One of the symptoms of pathology is swelling of the optic nerve. Upon examination, the doctor can detect the absence of pulsation of blood vessels, in addition, with a high degree of probability characteristic hematomas will be detected.
- MRI The most modern and informative diagnostic method, according to the results of which, in most cases, treatment of intracranial pressure is prescribed. Symptoms in children and adults usually indicate a change in cerebrospinal fluid volume and brain size. With the help of MRI it is possible to find out the cause of the pathological condition. Especially informative is the method in relation to neoplasms. The doctor in real time receives all information about the detected tumor.
- Electroencephalography. This method is informative only in cases where the patient has pronounced and characteristic symptoms of intracranial pressure. Treatment can also be prescribed only by its results.
- General blood analysis. Liquid connective tissue instantly responds to any changes in the body. With diseases of the brain in the blood, the level of leukocytes rises.
The above diagnostic methods provide only indirect results. Nevertheless, if they coincide with the patient's symptoms of intracranial pressure, treatment begins immediately, as the diagnosis is considered confirmed.
Conservative Therapies
A consequence of changes in the size of the brain and the volume of cerebrovascular fluid is the displacement of some parts of the most important organ. A natural result is the appearance of various pathologies that pose a threat not only to health, but also to the life of the patient. That is why, immediately after diagnostic measures, treatment of intracranial pressure with pills is prescribed. The symptom itself is an unpleasant condition, and serves as a sign of various pathologies. Thus, ignoring it in any case will lead to negative consequences.
First of all, patients are prescribed diuretics. Diuretic drugs increase the outflow of fluid from the body, partially solving the problem. If the cause of the pathological condition was accurately identified during the diagnosis, additional medications are prescribed. In addition, manual therapy is considered highly effective, during which the patient is relieved of venous congestion.
Surgical intervention
With a large volume of cerebrospinal fluid and, accordingly, pronounced symptoms, treatment of intracranial pressure with tablets and massage does not lead to a visible result. In this case, shunting is used to remove part of the fluid. It can be brought to the right atrium or abdominal cavity. In some cases, a puncture is prescribed.
Can folk remedies be used?
Regardless of the severity of symptoms of intracranial pressure, treatment should be prescribed only by a doctor. Unconventional methods should also be consistent with him.
With an ailment, foot baths with mustard are effective. In addition, to improve cerebral circulation, it is recommended to include ginger and peppermint oil in the diet.
Symptoms and treatment in infants
Intracranial pressure is a diagnosis that is made to half of the newborn children. It is important to understand that after the birth of a child, it really can be increased due to a slight deformation of the skull. But it is a consequence of passing through the birth canal, therefore it is considered a normal physiological state and does not require treatment.
Symptoms of intracranial pressure in infants and older children are piercing screams, anxiety, sleep disturbance. Only in rare cases, the diagnosis is confirmed and may indicate hydrocephalus.
Finally
Intracranial pressure is not an independent disease. It only serves as a sign of the development of a dangerous brain pathology. In this regard, it is necessary to be able to detect it in time, for this you need to know the causes and symptoms of intracranial pressure in adults. Treatment of this condition in children is not always advisable, as a rule, it is physiological and passes on its own.