What Is Pseudotumor Cerebri ?
Also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension, Pseudotumor cerebri is a neurological disorder characterized by increased intracranial pressure i.e. pressure around the brain. This tends to occur in the absence of a tumor or any other disease.
Symptoms range from vomiting to headaches and may lead to further complications including temporary or permanent vision loss.
In order to rule out other possible causes, Pseudotumor cerebri is diagnosed via a brain scan. If diagnose, treatment should be sought immediately to avoid onset of complications.
Although it can develop in people belonging to any age group, obese women of the ages between 20 and 40 are more prone to developing it than the rest of the population.
Causes Of Pseudotumor Cerebri:
The exact cause of Pseudotumor cerebri is yet unknown.
However, researchers have associated the onset of the disease to the overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull.
In normal condition, the fluid, which tends to protect the brain and spinal cord, is absorbed in its entirety by the blood stream.
In Pseudotumor cerebri, the fluid is not absorbed by the blood stream which causes it to accumulate and cause increased pressure in the skull. This in turn causes symptoms linked to that of the condition.
Moreover, several studies tend to insinuate that affected individuals have stenosis in two large sinuses in the brain. Research is ongoing to determine whether this has a part to play in the underlying cause of Pseudotumor cerebri.
Obesity and being child bearing women between the ages of 20 to 40 greater increases ones chance of developing Pseudotumor cerebri.
Symptoms Of Pseudotumor Cerebri:
Possible symptoms may include:
- Headaches
- Moderate to severe in nature
- Location of origination is behind the ears
- tends to worsen with eye movement
- pulsatile tinnitus
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- dizziness
- Blurred or dimmed vision
- visual obscurations
- Brief episodes of blindness
- Lasts for a few seconds
- Difficulty seeing to the side
- diplopia
- photopsia
- Neck, shoulder or back pain
Diagnosis Of Pseudotumor Cerebri:
Pseudotumor can be diagnosed via:
- Eye exam
- Brain scan
- Lumbar puncture
Treatment Of Pseudotumor Cerebri:
Treatment of Pseudotumor cerebri aims to relief symptoms and inhibit them from worsening,
Possible options may include:
- Medications
- Glaucoma drugs.
- Diuretics
- Migraine medications
- Surgery
- Optic nerve sheath fenestration
- Spinal fluid shunt
By : Natural Health News
