How to measure intracranial pressure at home and using medical diagnostics

Increased intracranial pressure is a popular diagnosis. This dangerous disease occurs in both children and adults. Various causes of the disease complicate its treatment, but thanks to modern diagnostic methods, it is possible to get rid of increased ICP forever. Find out why this disease is dangerous and how to reduce intracranial pressure with medications at home.

Treatment of cervicogenic headaches in children is particularly rehabilitative, combined with education about the cause of headaches, their prevention and the practice of home exercises. Rehabilitation should be aimed at removing soft tissue spasms, mobilizing functionally limited joint mobility, as well as erroneous postures and movement patterns, including breathing. In case of more serious problems, pharmacological therapy - non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs and for a short time even muscle relaxants are suitable in the acute stage.

What is intracranial pressure

Increased cranial pressure is caused by an increase or decrease in the amount of intracranial fluid - cerebrospinal fluid. It protects the brain and its membranes from damage, provides nutrition and breathing to nerve cells. Normally, about 1 liter of cerebrospinal fluid is produced per day. Thanks to normal microcirculation, the functioning of the brain and nerve cells is maintained. The ICP of a healthy person varies from 3-15 mHg. Deviations from these indicators are a dangerous condition and require treatment.

Sufficiently treated cervicocranial syndrome should be delayed or at least significantly reduced within 1 month, otherwise other causes of headache should be considered. Although functional changes in the cervical spine occur in younger pediatric patients, there are no exceptions in older patients, a differential diagnosis is always necessary to avoid vertebrogenic difficulties because headaches that mimic a cervicocranial syndrome, including reflex changes in the soft tissues of the neck, may be Structural lesions of the hind limb or neurobolerosis.

The following studies will help your doctor diagnose increased intracranial pressure: CT, MRI, cerebrospinal fluid puncture, ultrasound of the head, and fundus examination. The causes of impaired outflow of cerebrospinal fluid are often traumatic brain injuries, inflammatory diseases, sudden growth spurts in adolescents, nervous strain, tumors, alcohol and vitamin A poisoning, and pregnancy. The list of symptoms is very diverse, the main thing is to notice them in time and be properly examined. The main signs of increased ICP are:

Headache due to eye diseases. This group includes headaches associated with acute glaucoma, with refractive defects of the eye, with bleed, and with inflammatory visual impairment. For headache due to ocular conditions, it should be stopped within 7 days after correct correction or after the inflammatory disease is discontinued. The defects cause mild, recurrent headaches in the forehead and eyes. The headache is usually absent upon waking and is aggravated by prolonged eye strain when looking at a distance or angle where vision is impaired.

a sharp decrease in peripheral vision, and later central vision;
frequent headaches;
the child’s head is disproportionately large;
swelling of the face (eyelids, cheekbones) and neck;
constant nausea and vomiting;
frequent fatigue, emotional lability or irritability;
sharp headache when coughing, sneezing, bending over;
frequent regurgitation (in infants).

Increased ICP: symptoms

At each subsequent stage, the severity of the symptoms of intracranial hypertension increases. First, headache, apathy and lethargy appear.

As ICP progresses, more severe symptoms occur:

hearing and vision impairments;
Cushing's triad - high systolic pressure with low breathing and pulse;
confusion or memory loss, disorientation;
vestibular disorders accompanied by nausea and vomiting;
epileptic syndrome;
Posotonic reactions, including disturbances of muscle and respiratory reflexes, hiccups.

In case of ICP, using the methods of tomography, neurosonography, echoencephalography, rheoencephalography, doctors record significant changes in the cranium.

There is a narrowing of the cerebrospinal fluid spaces of the supratentorial and subtentorial localization with the simultaneous occurrence of the syndrome of the “tight” postcranial fossa. “Spurs” of the posterior horns of the lateral ventricles are formed, the Virchow-Robin spaces expand, and the cerebellar tonsils become sharpened. Flattened forms of the pons and pituitary gland are observed.

Increased intracranial pressure when diagnosing the symptoms of brain dislocation syndrome - severe displacement of its structures - is life-threatening. For example, infringement of the medulla oblongata due to dislocation of the cerebellar tonsils leads to complete blocking of circulatory and respiratory functions, and therefore to death.

How to lower intracranial pressure

If this disease is detected, an experienced doctor will tell you what to do with intracranial pressure in order to prevent health-threatening consequences. Helping a child or adult requires an integrated approach. Correct and effective treatment is aimed at identifying and eliminating the causes of the disease. An integrated approach includes physiological procedures, special gymnastics, drug therapy, folk remedies, and diet. All this helps to reduce high blood pressure and return the patient to normal life.

Why do signs and symptoms of intracranial pressure occur?

A neglected cause of headaches is heterophony.
This is a binocular fixation disorder. The cause of heterotopia may be congenital or acquired weakness of one of the muscles, disability, convergence and innervation disorders. Heterophoria is common; if it is small, it does not cause any problems. Inadequate compensation causes symptoms called asthenopic. Headaches occur when you strain your eyes and are usually relieved by closing one eye. They may be accompanied by other symptoms such as blurred vision, diplopia, burning sensation, eye strain or even disturbances in spatial perception, dizziness and nausea. If the original cause was a brain tumor, then surgery will be required. Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor chooses treatment tactics and therapy methods. This can happen in an outpatient clinic or at home. The main thing is not to self-medicate, but to carefully follow the recommendations of your doctor.

Heterophyres can be detected by special eye examination. Headache associated with hearing impairment. Touching the bolt, external auditory canal, drum and middle ear can cause primary ear pain and associated headaches. Headaches peaking in the forehead, accompanied by pain in the face, ears or teeth. Acute sinusitis or exacerbation of chronic sinusitis with temporal correlation of headache is required. Cephalea is associated with other symptoms of sinusitis. It clears within 7 days after successful treatment.

Drugs that reduce intracranial pressure

In drug therapy, more than one drug is used to reduce intracranial pressure. Each drug has instructions, which you can read online or at the pharmacy. The following groups of medications are used:

beta-blockers (Bisoprolol, Analopril, Atenolol, Propranolol);
alpha-one adrenergic blockers (Losartan, Irbesartan, Doxazosin, Nicergoline);
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (Captopril, Capoten);
Ca channel antagonists (Cordaflex, Amlodipine);
plasma expanders (Albumin);
diuretics (Hypothiazide, Spironolactone, Furosemide, Torasemide, Glycerol);
sedatives (Glycine, Notta, motherwort herb);
vasodilators;
hormonal drugs (Dexamethasone).

Folk remedies for intracranial pressure in adults

It is possible to treat intracranial pressure in adults with folk remedies. Find out how to quickly reduce intracranial pressure ,

You can see a doctor or chiropractor. Traditional methods can be used to treat when the disease has become chronic. A massage of the neck and head area is used to relieve vascular tone: it will not raise the pressure for a long time. It is recommended to take soothing herbs - motherwort, valerian, hops. Many folk remedies include the use of honey and bee products. Here are some recipes:

A careful differential diagnosis due to primary headache is necessary. Because of its location, synogenous cephalea is often confused with migraine without aura or tension headache. Conversely, chronic or recurrent headaches in children are often misdiagnosed as synogenous headaches, and children are subjected to unnecessary x-rays and treatments that are ineffective.

Headache with teeth, jaws and other oral disorders. Toothache can cause a diffuse headache, the most common cause being periodontitis in the area of a partially shriveled wisdom tooth. Headache or facial pain due to jaw joint involvement. Joint dysfunction is common and can be caused by discopathy, inflammation, hypermobility, and rheumatic inflammation. Headache and joint pain are caused by moving the jaw or chewing hard foods, other accompanying symptoms include decreased range of mouth opening, flexion of the joints during movement, and tenderness of the joint capsule.

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Recognizing the symptoms of intracranial pressure

An increase or decrease in blood pressure are factors known to many people that interfere with leading a normal, active life, and which also often include the appearance of headaches. However, symptoms indicating altered intracranial pressure, which are usually thought about much less often, can also appear in this way. This syndrome occurs in a considerable number of people who attribute completely different reasons to their symptoms.

What is intracranial pressure

It is known that our brain and spinal cord contain inside special cavities filled with liquid that protects it from shock. This fluid is called cerebrospinal fluid, and the cavities are called ventricles. The fourth ventricle of the brain opens into the subarachnoid space around the brain, and there, through the venous system, cerebrospinal fluid is absorbed, goes to the kidneys, and then is excreted. The space has its own dimensions, which are normally 130-150 ml in adults, and the daily production of cerebrospinal fluid is 450-500 ml. This spinal substrate, in addition to protection, exerts pressure on the brain, which is individual for each person. If there is an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid, this results in increased intracranial pressure, and if there is a decrease in cerebrospinal fluid, this results in decreased pressure. The pressure is calculated:

normal 10-15 mm Hg. Art.;
if it is higher (from 15 to 25), treatment is required;
exceeding 25 mm Hg. Art. is critical and requires urgent intervention.

What are the causes of increased intracranial pressure

Unfortunately, intracranial pressure, like blood pressure, is not constant, and during the day it can rise and fall without affecting our well-being. The concern is to monitor your well-being, without attributing headaches only to fatigue, weather or stressful situations, because it can be a signal of increased pressure inside the skull in adults. As a rule, persistent signs of changes in pressure inside the skull, excluding meningitis, trauma and tumors, cannot appear suddenly if a person is in good health. For them to occur, there must always be a persistent change in the body, which certainly manifests itself with certain symptoms that should not be ignored, since we are talking about our health and the health of loved ones. This means that you need to be careful about any long-term changes that could disrupt the metabolic processes occurring in the body. Even ordinary atherosclerosis or posture disorders can become such processes. The physiological causes of pressure changes in adults are an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid, which occurs due to:

circulation disorders when cerebrospinal fluid is not sufficiently absorbed into the blood;
when there is a lot of fluid in the body, and accordingly a lot of cerebrospinal fluid is also released.

As a rule, intracranial pressure in adults can increase gradually, in which case the body adapts to it, and the symptoms are expressed implicitly, mixed with signs of other diseases. In these cases, high hypertension may go unnoticed.

Factors characteristic of pressure changes

In order not to miss the “hidden” increase in ICP, you need to analyze your condition and pay attention to the following symptoms:

gradual onset and build-up of a headache, which, at moderate intensity, “radiates” to the eye area, and upon awakening, a “bloating” sensation is felt in the head;
in a lying position, the pain intensifies, as well as when coughing, bending back, that is, when the outflow of venous blood from the cranial cavity is obstructed;
in the morning, along with pain, vomiting may appear, which will bring relief;
such manifestations are accompanied by “noise” in the head;
the appearance of swelling of the eyelids, even with facial bruising;
if you lie down more comfortably, fluff up the pillow and straighten your neck, the pain in the head goes away, since this improves the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid.

However, over time, compensatory possibilities dry up, and there are fewer and fewer comfortable positions, so a person is forced to take bizarre positions in order to at least partially get rid of the pain.

Afterwards the following symptoms may be added:

agitation or apathy with drowsiness;
rapid heartbeat;
visual impairment (due to damage to the abducens nerve) in the form of strabismus, blurring and loss of the lateral and central visual fields;
neurological manifestations, in particular disorders of movement and speech, hearing, and smell.

Sharply high blood pressure appears in the following cases:

cerebral hypoxia;
strokes;
meningitis and encephalitis;
tumors;
skull injuries;
poisoning;
taking large doses of vitamin A.

It is necessary to understand that separately, by itself, each symptom does not mean intracranial hypertension; it can only be indicated by the appearance of several signs at once. But the blood pressure may also be low, which is called hypotension, which occurs due to injuries, vasoconstriction, and treatment with diuretics without medical supervision. In this case, patients feel as if their head is being squeezed by a “hoop,” and they may also experience drowsiness and irritability, nausea and vomiting. Increased intracranial pressure is not a disease, but a set of signs that indicate the appearance of pathological processes in the body that need to be identified and treated.

Treatment methods

If there is a suspicion of increased intracranial pressure, it is necessary to immediately visit an ophthalmologist; after examining the fundus of the eye, he will determine the condition of the veins and recommend additional examinations. Using tomography, echography and x-rays, it is possible to determine the amount of cerebrospinal fluid, as well as the nature of its location and the outflow of venous blood. These studies will help clarify the suspected causes and select treatment. The doctor will take into account the entire clinical picture, including the person’s well-being. But remember that treatment can only be prescribed by a neuropathologist, who must correctly interpret the results obtained during the examination. Naturally, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease, but you always need to take additional measures to improve your well-being. Usually adults are prescribed:

diet and drinking regimen;

diuretics (for example, furosenide), vascular and sedatives;

nootropic drugs that will improve brain nutrition;

corticosteroids, in severe cases, for example, prednisolone;

B vitamins, drinking regimen;

massage of the collar area;

gymnastics;

on the advice of a doctor, you can also use folk remedies. For example, tinctures of mint, parsley, bearberry, clover.

Such remedies, which can be prescribed based on symptoms, will reduce the amount of cerebrospinal fluid inside the brain and also improve the outflow of blood through the veins, stabilizing the state of health. But all “relieving” procedures in this case can only be prescribed by a doctor, so it is better to carry out the examination and all treatment together in a hospital.

In the case of intracranial pressure, symptoms and treatment are related. For example, in case of serious condition and danger to life, artificial ventilation of the lungs and even surgery are performed. And in case of hypotension, they are treated by stimulating fluid production and normalizing the amount of electrolytes in the body. If this does not help, the leak of cerebrospinal fluid is eliminated surgically by closing the holes. Remember, if you suspect ICP, you must definitely visit a doctor, listen to his opinion about treatment methods and undergo an examination. You cannot be cured only with traditional methods, medications or homeopathy. This way, you can only expose yourself to the risk of wasting time and waiting for irreversible changes in the body, such as hydrocephalus (decreasing the volume of the brain, replacing it with fluid), blindness, and changes in intelligence. If you start treatment “for future use”, then the disease will not develop much, and no harm is done to the body, since the side effects of the drugs will quickly disappear.

To maintain your health, listen carefully to the “signals” that your brain gives. After all, increased intracranial pressure quite seriously disrupts the functioning of the body and creates problems in supplying the brain with oxygen, as well as a threat to life. A person’s well-being directly depends on whether there is an increase in intracranial pressure or not. Therefore, when the pressure is normal, everything will be fine with your health.

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How to treat intracranial pressure

The correct treatment for intracranial pressure depends on its causes. If this is a congenital disease, massage is used and diuretics are used. The best remedy for adults is rest and limiting nervous stress. Drugs in tablets for hypertension have shown themselves to be effective: they reduce high vascular tone. The use of plasma substitutes equalizes the pressure between brain tissue and plasma. It is possible to treat ICP if you see your doctor early and follow his instructions. The right medicine can normalize the condition for a long time.

The differential diagnosis must consider whether this is a primary psychiatric illness or a primary headache associated with a psychiatric comorbidity. Comorbidity should be taken into account both during diagnosis and treatment, since it negatively affects the progression and prognosis of one’s own headache. Patients with specific learning disabilities often suffer from headaches as a result of the increased stress of completing their school responsibilities.

What is increased intracranial pressure?

The differential diagnosis of secondary headaches is broad and includes virtually all experiences. A neurological examination is necessary in a number of cases, because only a clinical examination reveals possible changes in neurological findings, and sometimes a minor course at first glance hides a serious structural pathology of the brain. The basis for the differential diagnosis of headaches is the distinction between primary and secondary headaches. Therefore, the diagnosis of headache also emphasizes the importance of a thorough history and detailed clinical examination, which can also help identify individual signs of a serious, but still incipient intracranial pathology, allowing for timely diagnosis, treatment and significantly improving the patient's prognosis.

Vasodilators for the brain

Vasodilators for blood pressure help relieve vasospasm and lower intracranial pressure. They remove the blockage of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid into the venous network. The following have proven effective in treating this disease:

No-shpa;
Eufillin;
Papaverine hydrochloride;
Magnesium sulfate;
nicotinic acid preparations;
antihypertensive drugs.

Antispasmodics

Many antispasmodic drugs are widely used to treat increased intracranial pressure. They relieve pain and spasms well. These are Tempalgin, Spazmalgon, No-shpalgin. Each tablet contains a vasodilator and analgesic component. Read the instructions carefully before taking the medication, and adhere to the dosage prescribed by your doctor.

Miroslava Muchova Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine and Hospital Brno, Department of Pediatric Neurology. Subcommittee on Headache Classification of the International Headache Society. International classification of headache disorders. 2nd edition.

Definitions and clinical signs of postoperative syndrome

Postoperative syndrome is a set of patients with uncomfortable symptoms that occur after a lumbar puncture or epidural anesthesia. Postoperative headache—Headache occurs as a result of dural and arachnoid perforation due to previous epidural puncture, respectively. Subarachnoid space.

Diuretics for intracranial pressure

Diuretics for intracranial pressure help remove excess cerebrospinal fluid from the skull. They relieve swelling from the face and limbs well. Diuretics are available for emergency therapy, when excess fluid needs to be quickly removed from the body (Furosemide, Lasix) and for complex therapy (Veroshpiron, Diakarb). During treatment, it is necessary to replenish lost potassium and magnesium ions. They are very important for the functioning of the heart muscle and brain. Along with diuretics, you need to take the following tablets: Asparkam, Panangin. Lowering ICP with diuretics is used for all causes of the disease.

The pain appears to be related to the position of the victim. He begins to sit or stand, worsening his cough and small movements. The relief occurs when lying on your back. A headache usually has a dull pressure in the head that extends from the scalp to the forehead and eye area. Reflex spasm of the cervix and back muscles, pseudomining. Most sufferers have a significant history of never experiencing a headache like this.

The onset of pain is rarely immediate and usually occurs a few days after the piercing. On average, symptoms appear 48 hours after the puncture. The duration of the difficulty is described from several hours to several months, the greatest intensity of pain lasts on average 4 days, then the pain usually disappears spontaneously but slowly. Other associated symptoms include nausea, vomiting, depression, vision and hearing changes.

Treatment with corticosteroid drugs

If the cause of intracranial hypertension is intoxication (alcohol, chemical products), inflammation of the meninges, or brain tumor, hormonal corticosteroid drugs (Hypothiazide, Prednisolone, Dexamethasone) are used. They effectively restore the normal outflow of cerebrospinal fluid and relieve inflammation. They are prescribed to adults and children, the dose is calculated based on weight.

Decreased cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the subarachnoid space. Fluid escapes through the perforation into the epidural space. Hearing disturbances can occur due to a drop in pressure in the mouth or due to the anatomical connection between the endolymphatic canals of the inner ear and the space containing the cerebrospinal fluid.

Differential diagnosis of postoperative syndrome

Headache may not always be the result of dural perforation. There are other serious reasons why a post-operative headache may be disconcerting. Meningitis, internal, external - or subdural hematoma, cerebral infarction, hypertensive crisis, migraine, metabolic changes, postpartum psychological changes, hormonal changes, spondylogenic pain in the cervical spine as a result of an uncomfortable position on the operating table.

Determining the diagnosis of cephalea not associated with postoperative syndrome

Physical examination for postoperative syndrome. Temperature, blood pressure, heart and lung examination, general internal examination, neurological examination. Hematological examination, blood biochemical examination, glycemic control, computed tomography, negative contrast medium or magnetic resonance imaging.

Pathophysiology of postoperative syndrome

Family and personal history: frequent headaches, depressive syndrome.
. A sharp decrease in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid affects brain tissue. The habit of modern man to be careless about his own health and the signals that the body sends often leads to far-reaching consequences. Most people attribute vestibular syndrome, headaches, and attacks of nausea to the consequences of nervous strain or psychoemotional breakdown, but in reality these may be symptoms of increased intracranial pressure.

There is a pull on anatomical structures that cause pain - intracranial hives, blood vessels and nerves, and the dental marrow. Vagus and event. First three cervical nerves. The therapeutic effect also involves compressing the abdomen with a firm bandage for about 24 hours, but this mechanical maneuver is very uncomfortable for a Sunday.

Intracranial pressure: treatment with folk remedies

Regulation of cerebrospinal fluid pressure can be achieved by increasing the pressure in the epidural space using a suitable solution or autologous blood. Another source of pain is vascular dilatation in the intracranial region.

It is impossible to independently determine whether cranial pressure is normal or not; this can only be done by a qualified specialist by comparing medical history data and taking special measurements.

Signs of intracranial pressure can be easily confused with symptoms of arterial hypertension or hypotensive crisis, or migraine attacks. There are cases when patients claimed that they had poisoning, since the manifestations were very similar to the consequences of intoxication of the body.

Characteristic symptoms and signs of increased intracranial pressure in adult patients are characterized by severity and regular frequency.

Pain in the head with increased intracranial pressure is accompanied by a feeling of a “heavy head.” These symptoms tend to worsen at night and are especially acute in the morning.
Severe signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia syndrome are regularly accompanied by changes in blood pressure, attacks of tachycardia, and increased sweating.
Vestibular syndrome in the morning is acutely manifested almost immediately after waking up, accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Hyperexcitability of a patient whose intracranial pressure increases is expressed in nervousness and a tendency to emotional breakdowns.
The patient often and quickly gets tired; at an advanced stage of the disease, the patient feels tired after waking up in the morning.
Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure tend to intensify against the background of sudden weather changes. People with this disease are weather dependent and react to changes in weather with increased symptoms.
Symptoms of the disease are accompanied by impaired visual acuity.

Most adult patients also complain of decreased sexual desire and impaired intimate functions. As the pathological process progresses, a sick person develops pronounced dark circles under the eyes with noticeable spider veins.

Treatment of intracranial pressure abnormalities tablets

Tablets for the treatment of intracranial pressure

When signs of ICP disturbance appear, the main thing is the timeliness of therapy, which is selected according to the reasons that provoked the pathology.

The basis of treatment for increased intracranial pressure is diuretic tablets, selected according to the level of ICP.

In acute and severe cases, drugs from the osmodiuretic group are prescribed - Mannitol, for example.
In other cases, hydrochlorothiazide, Spironolactone, Furosemide or Acetazolamide may be prescribed. Many of them (according to indications) can be prescribed with the simultaneous administration of “Potassium aspaginate” or “Potassium chloride”.
At the same time, therapy for the underlying disease is carried out. In case of pathologies of infectious-inflammatory damage to brain structures, antibiotics and antiviral therapy appropriate to the disease are prescribed.
In case of toxic damage, a set of detoxification measures is carried out.
Vascular pathologies are treated with vasoactive therapy with the prescription of Aminophylline, Vinpocetine, Nifedipine. In case of disturbances of venous outflow, use venotonic drugs - “Horse chestnut”, “Diosmin” with “Hesperidin”, “Dihydroergocristine”.
Complex therapy includes drugs that support the functional state of brain neurons - Piracetam, Glycine and other neurometabolic drugs.

During acute periods, cranial manual therapy is used. At this time, emotional overload and any visual stress (computer, reading, etc.) are contraindicated for the patient.

Therapy for a hypotonic state includes caffeine-containing and nootropic drugs, amino acids and vitamin complexes. The treatment includes physiotherapeutic techniques - acupressure sessions, gravitational and cryotherapy, magnetic and reflexology treatment courses.

Typically, doctors prefer the tactics of restrained conservative treatment. To eliminate the pathology, caffeine-containing products are sometimes enough, in combination with hydration and a gentle regime. After a month, the symptoms are completely relieved.

If unpleasant pathological signs of low ICP persist for a long time, it is possible to use the “blood patch” method (the patient’s own blood is transfused into the epidural tissue of the identified defect).

To reduce intracranial pressure in emergency situations, neurosurgical treatment techniques are used - decompression trepanation, external venticular drainage, venticuloperitoneal or cystoperitoneal shunting.

For pathologies of intracranial pressure, the therapeutic prognosis depends on the main cause of the disorder, the speed of development of the process, timely treatment and compensatory properties of the brain.

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Causes of intracranial disorders

A mistake is the opinion of many patients who believe that intracranial pressure increases due to traumatic brain injury or congenital pathologies. There are many objective reasons for the pathological condition: intracranial pressure in adults is influenced by various factors:

disturbances and failures of metabolic processes, accompanied by impaired absorption of fluid from the body into the blood;
an increase in the permissible norm of the amount of fluid in the body, which occurs against the background of failures in the cardiovascular or excretory system;
regular vascular spasms that disrupt blood microcirculation;
consequences of a stroke;
oxygen deficiency of brain cells and tissues;
meningococcal infections;
hydrocephalus (develops mainly in newborns);
overweight, obesity;
hypervitaminization with vitamin A;
hormonal imbalances and disorders in women during age-related menopause;
intoxication of the body due to severe poisoning;
benign and malignant tumor processes in brain tissue.

In addition, migraine, a persistent and practically incurable neurological disorder, is considered a common cause of increased intracranial pressure.

Increased ICP and decreased blood pressure

This situation is familiar to many hypotensive people - people with pathologically low blood pressure levels. Hypotension can be physiological or acquired, temporary. The main cause of the disease is autonomic vascular dysfunction caused by disorders of nervous activity.

Increased intracranial pressure and low blood pressure are formed simultaneously with:

brain injuries with large blood losses;
the presence of pathological formations;
cerebral vasospasm - compression of cerebral vessels;
the action of physiologically active substances, chemicals;
increased secretion of cerebrospinal fluid, disturbances in its outflow.

Increased intracranial and low blood pressure can be symptoms of serious endocrine disruptions, as well as diseases that destroy the brain. If such conditions occur frequently, it is necessary to undergo a thorough medical examination.

Classification of pathology depending on the causes

In adult patients, two forms of pathological intracranial process are distinguished, depending on the reasons that provoked the failure.

Form of craniovascular pathology	Reasons for appearance	Treatment
Acute	Severe traumatic brain injury Intracranial hemorrhage due to stroke Cranial hemorrhage due to aortic rupture Symptoms of a rapidly progressing brain tumor	Urgent surgery (craniotomy)
Chronic	Neurological disorders Traumatic injuries Long-term use of medications of a certain spectrum of action Diseases of internal systems and organs Pathologies of metabolic processes Menopause in women	Symptomatic medication Specific medication Traditional medicine

In newborn babies, the process initially occurs in an acute form, as it is provoked by birth craniocerebral herbs or hydrocephalus. These babies, as a rule, develop hypoxia; the prognosis of the disease depends on the severity of the condition of such newborns and the quality of timely therapeutic treatment. The little person is growing, and acute pathology in newborns can develop into a chronic disease.

The first symptoms and signs of pathology

Increased ICP causes fatigue, decreased reflexes, even stroke if an artery ruptures

ICP is the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid on intracranial formations. Liquor circulates in the ventricles of the brain, the central spinal canal, between the meninges, and the hemispheres. For adults, the norm is 2-12 mmHg, subject to measurement in a lying position. For children – 2-7, depending on age. If the outflow is disrupted, the indicators increase, and if there is a lack of fluid, they decrease.

Various pathologies can provoke the development of intracranial hypertension or hypotension:

traumatic brain injuries;
malignant and benign brain tumors;
infectious diseases – meningitis, encephalitis;
congenital brain pathologies;
cerebrovascular accident due to hypertensive crisis, aneurysm rupture, stroke, transistor ischemic attack;
intoxication, overheating of the body.

Without proper and timely treatment, complications develop against the background of ICH. In adults - weather dependence, increased fatigue, stroke, complete or partial loss of vision. Reflexes and reactions are disrupted due to changes in brain structures. Children develop VSD and experience delays in mental and physical development.

Reduced ICP is a consequence of vascular diseases. Provoking factors are chronic lack of sleep, bad habits, vitamin deficiency, stress, cervical osteochondrosis, hormonal imbalance.

Signs of pathology in children

In infants, ICP increases most often due to birth injuries

In children, intracranial hypertension can be congenital or acquired. In newborns, pathology in 90% of cases develops against the background of birth injuries.

Signs of increased ICP in infants:

frequent and profuse regurgitation;
swelling, pulsation of the fontanelle;
divergence of the skull bones;
jaw tremor;
the size of the head significantly exceeds age norms, the forehead is convex and large;
slowness, apathy, the baby constantly cries for no reason;
exophthalmos, strabismus.

Older children may complain of headaches, blurred vision, and nosebleeds. Vomiting and nausea occur that are not associated with food intake; after the attack it does not get better. With reduced ICP, the child constantly lowers his head, convulsions, nausea, and vomiting are observed. The psycho-emotional state is unstable.

Parents should not self-diagnose at home, check reflexes, or try to find ways to measure ICP at home. It is necessary to understand that many symptoms may be signs of normality or manifestations of other diseases in the baby. First you need to visit the clinic and get examined by a pediatrician.

Short-term surges in ICP in children are considered normal. They occur with excessive crying, straining during bowel movements, and excessive physical activity.

How does the disease manifest in adults?

High ICP causes blurred vision and double vision

In adults, ICP develops gradually. At the initial stage, a pressing, bursting headache is a concern. Unpleasant sensations intensify after waking up, when coughing and sneezing. The attacks are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and tinnitus.

Signs of increased ICP in adults:

sudden changes in blood pressure and heart rate;
disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract - constipation, diarrhea;
increased salivation, bags and dark circles under the eyes;
increased sweating of hands and feet, swelling of the face, attacks of dizziness;
deterioration of vision, hearing, intellectual abilities;
hot temper, apathy, anxiety, weakness;
pain in the abdomen or heart.

The severity of symptoms depends on the severity of the disease. In severe cases, there is a violation of speech, musculoskeletal functions, weakness in the limbs, continuous vomiting, incontinence or retention of urine and feces, different pupil sizes. Similar signs are characteristic of a stroke. Therefore, immediate medical attention is required.

With ICP, the headache does not decrease after taking painkillers.

When ICP levels decrease, increased fatigue, attacks of dizziness, bright flashes before the eyes, and fainting are observed. I am worried about pain in the heart, nausea, headache, which intensifies when taking a horizontal position.

In women, intracranial pressure levels often decrease during pregnancy and menstruation. The problem often occurs in teenagers.

It is impossible to independently determine intracranial pressure. Special equipment is required for measurement. Measuring and recognizing intracranial pressure at home is possible only by indirect manifestations of pathology or in the presence of provoking factors and diseases.

Methods for measuring blood pressure and making a diagnosis

It is impossible to measure cranial pressure at home, since this procedure is quite complex and is carried out in clinics. First of all, the doctor collects the patient’s medical history and prescribes appropriate diagnostics.

Doctors distinguish two main methods often used for measurements:

cranial measurement by inserting a catheter into the lateral ventricle of the brain is the most reliable method, from the point of view of medical workers;
cranial measurement by inserting a subdural screw into a prepared burr hole in the skull - a method used in exceptional cases for special indications.

It is believed that normal cranial pressure in adults should not exceed 7 mmHg. Indicators above this norm indicate malfunctions and disorders in the body and require subsequent comprehensive diagnostics in order to prescribe subsequent adequate therapy.

Drug therapy

Carries a high risk for the patient. Untimely diagnosis and treatment begin threaten not only the health, but also the life of the patient. Experts recommend treating cranial disorders in newborns, children and adolescents only in an inpatient setting with comprehensive in-depth diagnostics. The causes of pathology in newborns make it possible not to conduct a comprehensive diagnostic study, immediately begin intensive therapy and carry out complex in-depth treatment.

Treatment of adult patients depends on the cause and nature of the pathological process. If a failure occurs against the background of complex pathologies, then treatment is carried out in a hospital setting with in-depth monitoring of the patient’s general condition.

Cause of the disease	Treatment, correction of the patient’s condition
Benign or malignant neoplasm in the head	Surgical removal followed by symptomatic treatment Comprehensive monitoring of the patient’s condition by several specialists
Accumulation of fluid in certain areas of the brain	Surgical pumping followed by shunting (if necessary)
Neuroinfection	Complex antibacterial and restorative therapy with constant screening examination of the patient’s condition

Treatment of a pathology that does not threaten the patient’s life, but can lead to serious health complications, is allowed at home, provided that the patient complies with the entire therapeutic regimen without deviations from it.

The patient is prescribed symptomatic treatment aimed at minimizing the symptoms of the disease: relieving attacks of pain in the head, eliminating nausea, dizziness. As a rule, this is treatment with antispasmodics and antiemetics.
Doctors treat with diuretics in order to normalize and reduce the amount of fluid in the body. This therapy is carried out in courses with constant monitoring of the patient's condition.
Treatment of intracranial malfunctions is also carried out with nootropics; tablets, their dosage regimen and dosage are determined by the attending physician, depending on the patient’s condition. These drugs are designed to normalize cerebral circulation and remove excess fluid from brain tissues and cells.

Frequent attacks of the disease and constantly occurring symptoms often lead to the need for ongoing therapy with regular correction of the regimen by the treating doctor.