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Hydrocephalus is primarily looked at as a birth defect, but can be adult onset - mainly in the elderly.
Hydrocephalus as a birth defect are mainly caused by genetic issues or diseases such as spina bifida. The symptoms are different from adults, because an infant's head can expand to accommodate extra fluid. "Other symptoms may include vomiting, sleepiness, irritability, downward deviation of the eyes (also called "sunsetting"), and seizures."
Hydrocephalus in older children or adults is caused by a disease that can alter the structure of brain, such as mengingitis, tumors, or infection of the brain. Strokes or traumatic brain injury can also cause hydrocephalus. "In older children or adults, symptoms may include headache followed by vomiting, nausea, papilledema (swelling of the optic disk which is part of the optic nerve), blurred vision, diplopia (double vision), sunsetting of the eyes, problems with balance, poor coordination, gait disturbance, urinary incontinence, slowing or loss of development, lethargy, drowsiness, irritability, or other changes in personality or cognition including memory loss."
There is also "normal pressure hydrocephalus," which is primarily a disease of the elderly. The symptoms associated with it are "progressive mental impairment and dementia, problems with walking, and impaired bladder control leading to urinary frequency and/or incontinence." Because these symptoms are often associated with other diseases of the elderly, normal pressure hydrocephalus is often misdiagnosed.
How is hydrocephalus associated with migraines?
There are two types of disorders associated with the build-up of cerebrospinal fluid that we know can directly cause migraines. One of these is an Arnold-Chiari malformation, which is malformation of the occipital region of the skull, causing it to be too small for the person's brain, and increasing CSF pressure by not allowing fluid to properly vacate the area. The only treatment is surgery.
There is also pseudotumor cerebri, or idiopathic intracranial hypertension. This is a disorder of unknown cause, which primarily affects obese woman of child-bearing age. Symptoms of this include headaches, and it can increase the frequency of migraines, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), disploplia (double vision), and rarely arm pain. The majority of these cases are diagnosed through the finding of papilledema - or increased ocular pressure. Another way it is diagnosed is by having a spinal tap to measure CSF pressure. If you are diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri, you are asked to keep your weight at a healthy level, and to take diuretics so help you shed excess fluid from the body. It is important to take care of it, because leaving that pressure on your eyes can cause blindness.
What else can I help you with?
What is a nursing diagnosis for hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus is usually the result of another problem within the skull. The symptoms of the underlying problem, coupled with the symptoms of hydrocephalus, can produce a wide variety of effects of varying intensity. Some links below.
What are symptoms of Neuropathic Hydrocephalus in cattle?
It is a fatal birth defect in calves only, there are no symptoms that go with it since it is a condition that is not found in adult cattle.
What are the symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus?
dementia, gait abnormalities, and incontinence (involuntary urination or bowel movements).
Where will get best treatment for infant hydrocephalus in South India?
.Where I will get the best treatment for infant hydrocaphalus in India ?
What are medications for hydrocephalus?
the treatment of hydrocephalus
What are the symptoms of large cysts?
Symptoms associated with a larger cyst include headaches, seizures , accumulation of a pronounced amount of cerebrospinal fluid (hydrocephalus ), increased pressure inside the cranial cavity.
What is hydroencephaly?
There seems to be a spelling error in your question. Did you mean hydrocephalus? Hydrocephalus is a condition where fluid accumulates in the brain, leading to increased pressure that can cause symptoms like headaches, nausea, and vision problems. Treatment often involves inserting a shunt to drain excess fluid and alleviate symptoms.
How Hydrocephalus may result from?
Conditions responsible for hydrocephalus in a fetus include infantile congenital (present at birth) hydrocephalus, hydrocephalus associated with encephalocele or myelomeningocele, posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in newborns.
Which term means abnormally increases amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain?
Hydrocephalus is the term that refers to an abnormally increased amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain. It can lead to an enlarged head in infants and cause symptoms like headaches and cognitive difficulties in adults.
What is the medical term for pertaining to water on the brain?
The medical term for pertaining to water on the brain is "hydrocephalus." It is a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain's ventricles, leading to increased pressure and swelling. It can cause symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and balance problems.
What surgical procedures treats hydrocephalus?
the treatment of hydrocephalus
Can you claim disabilaty for hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus is a condition which can be disabling or can cause disabilities if it cannot be managed. Medications can be prescribed and some times a shunt is installed in the head so that fluid is able to be removed so that the brain does not have increased pressure on it. If hydrocephalus is managed, then the symptoms can be managed as well, and it is less disabling - the person can live a normal life. If it is not able to be managed, then the symptoms can be extremely disabling: headaches, vision disturbance, seizures, memory loss, personality changes, difficulty walking. If hydrocephalus is severe during infancy it can cause brain damage and physical disabilities. In less severe cases, it can cause developmental delays, which can lay the groundwork for disability.
