Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is considered a condition dangerous to human health. A very large number of people are faced with this phenomenon. Neither adults nor children are insured from it. In women, this pathology is much more common than in men. However, quite often the symptoms manifested with an increase in ICP are not paid attention, which can lead to serious consequences in the future. To avoid this, it should be well understood what are the signs of intracranial pressure, as well as methods and techniques for dealing with it.
Pathology Description
There are a number of factors that can cause an increase in pressure inside the skull. However, most often this phenomenon is due to a malfunction during the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the intracranial space.
Signs of increased intracranial pressure in people are quite common.
Let's see what constitutes a cranial pressure phenomenon. In the human cranium, in addition to a large number of nerve cells, a significant part of the brain is also occupied by cerebrospinal fluid or cerebrospinal fluid. The main volume of fluid is in the ventricular region, in the center of the skull. Part of the cerebrospinal fluid passes between the arachnoid and soft membranes of the brain. A certain amount of cerebrospinal fluid can be found in the spinal canal.
Liquor performs various functions. It protects the brain tissue from blows to the skull, removes toxins and other harmful substances from the brain, and also provides water-electrolyte balance. The level of pressure inside the skull also depends on the amount of cerebrospinal fluid. Most cerebrospinal fluid is produced directly by the ventricles, and part is produced from the blood, which circulates in the brain. Complete renewal of cerebrospinal fluid occurs in seven days.
Signs of intracranial pressure will be discussed below.
Norm
The pressure inside the skull is measured in millimeters of mercury or water. The norm for an adult is in the range from 3 to 15 mm. In childhood, a somewhat reduced pressure is considered normal. An increase in cerebrospinal fluid volume leads to intracranial pressure. An increase of more than 30 mm can lead to severe damage to brain tissue and even death.
The pressure inside the skull is not possible to measure at home, this requires the use of special tools.
Signs of intracranial pressure
An increase in pressure inside the cranium is manifested by certain characteristic symptoms:
1. Visual impairment.
2. Headaches.
3. Dizziness.
4. Decrease in memory.
5. Absent-mindedness.
6. Drowsiness.
7. Jumps in blood pressure.
8. Nausea and vomiting.
9. Lethargy and high fatigue.
10. Sweating.
11. Chills.
12. Depression and irritability.
13. The mood swings.
14. Soreness in the spine.
15. Hypersensitivity to the skin.
16. Violation of respiratory function, shortness of breath.
17. Decrease in muscle tone.
These signs of intracranial pressure can be observed all together and individually, all individually.
The presence of one or more of the symptoms listed above does not always indicate high blood pressure. This may indicate a pathology with similar symptoms.
The most common sign indicating an increase in cranial pressure is considered a headache. The main difference from migraine is the nature of the pain, which is not localized in a specific place, but spreads throughout the cranium. The characteristic time for a headache is morning or night. There is also an increase in pain when coughing, turning head, etc. Painkillers do not help.
What other signs of intracranial pressure in adults are there?
Visual impairment
Another characteristic sign of increasing ICP may be a violation of visual perception. This can be manifested by bifurcation, fuzziness of objects, passing bouts of complete loss of vision, fog before the eyes, decreased light perception. These symptoms indicate squeezing of the optic nerves as a result of increased intracranial pressure.
With increased intracranial pressure, the shape of the eyeball can change, up to such a strong protrusion that it becomes impossible to close the eyelids. Under the eyes, dark circles form due to crowded veins.
Nausea and vomiting also often accompany increased ICP. In this case, vomiting does not alleviate the patient's condition. Intracranial pressure can increase with some common phenomena, for example, with bending, sneezing, stress. However, such an increase quickly and quickly passes by itself, without causing discomfort. If the pressure does not decrease, then we should talk about the chronic form of increased ICP.
Signs of intracranial pressure in a child
Typically, these signs in children are closely related to the manifestations of hydrocephalus - the presence of a large amount of fluid in the ventricles of the brain. A visual increase in the size of the head is observed, also the pathology is characterized by other symptoms:
- excessive pronounced bulging fontanel;
- a significant lag in overall development compared to peers;
- excessive anxiety;
- frequent regurgitation and poor weight gain;
- lethargy and drowsiness;
- Gref's symptom when the baby's eyes look down.
Diagnostics
To directly measure intracranial pressure, complex instrumental techniques are used that require a high level of qualification of a doctor, use of high-precision equipment, and are often unsafe for the patient. Research is carried out by a puncture of ventricles and the further introduction of a catheter into places of cerebrospinal fluid circulation.
Sometimes there is a puncture of cerebrospinal fluid in the lumbar spine. This procedure not only makes it possible to check the pressure, but also to analyze the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid. Thus, differential diagnosis of infectious diseases is performed.
Other diagnostic methods are listed below.
There are safer diagnostic methods for increased ICP:
Research through ultrasound.
Magnetic resonance imaging.
CT scan.
These studies make it possible to detect changes in the structure of the brain and the tissues surrounding it, which can lead to increased pressure inside the cranium, namely:
A decrease or increase in the size of the cerebral ventricles.
Expansion of the space between the meninges.
Swelling.
Hemorrhages or malignant neoplasms.
Shifting brain structures.
The appearance of the distance between the cranial sutures.
Encephalography also refers to important diagnostic methods. It makes it possible to identify malfunctions in the activity of those areas of the brain that are responsible for intracranial pressure. Ultrasound of the vessels with the help of Doppler will reveal violations in the bloodstream of the cerebral veins and arteries, as well as the presence of blood clots and stagnation.
Parents should be able to recognize signs of intracranial pressure in the baby.
Reasons for increasing ICP
You should take into account the fact that increased intracranial pressure is a symptom, and not a disease in itself. There are several factors that can lead to an increase in ICP, among them:
1. Traumatic brain injuries.
2. Inflammatory processes in the meninges, such as meningitis and encephalitis.
3. Hypertension.
4. Overweight.
5. Hyperthyroidism.
6. Encephalopathies due to liver pathologies.
7. Failure of the adrenal glands.
8. Osteochondrosis, localized in the cervical spine.
9. Neoplasms in the head area.
10. Cysts.
11. Parasitic invasion.
12. Abscess.
13. Stroke.
In addition, an increase in ICP can trigger the following diseases of infectious origin:
- Bronchitis.
- Otitis.
- Malaria.
- Mastoiditis.
As a result, there are signs of intracranial pressure. Treatment should be aimed at addressing the causes.
Medication and its effects are described below.
Also, drug therapy can lead to increased intracranial pressure. In particular, the following drugs can provoke this situation:
- Corticosteroids.
- Antibiotics.
- Oral contraceptives.
All of these factors can affect cerebrospinal fluid in different ways. Sometimes they cause increased fluid synthesis, sometimes disrupt its normal circulation, and in some cases interfere with its absorption. There are also situations where all three methods of influencing cerebrospinal fluid are manifested simultaneously.
Genetic predisposition also plays an important role in the issue of increased ICP. If we talk about children, then injuries received during childbirth, prematurity, fetal hypoxia and severe toxicosis in a woman during pregnancy can lead to an increase in ICP.
Complications
An increase in ICP in a chronic form tends to increase with time, therefore, it requires correct and timely therapy. In the absence of such, the disease can lead to serious complications such as:
- Paralysis.
- Speech impairment.
- Stroke.
- Deviations in the psyche.
- Epilepsy.
- Blindness.
- Violation of motor function, namely coordination.
In women with overweight at a young age, increased intracranial pressure can pass on their own without specific therapy. However, it is not worth hoping for it, and it is better to consult a doctor to conduct the necessary examination and make the correct diagnosis, as well as the exclusion of more serious diseases.
Treatment
Therapy of pathology in adults depends on the causes and age. It involves the appointment of diuretics, sedatives and vascular drugs. In addition, the following are prescribed: manual and diet therapy, as well as special gymnastics.
The diet is built taking into account the consumption of healthy foods, with a minimum of salt and liquid.
We examined signs of increased intracranial pressure in adults.