From increased intracranial pressure. Intracranial pressure in adults: symptoms, causes and treatment. How to measure intracranial pressure? Diagnosis of intracranial hypertension

"Intracranial pressure" - this term can be found quite often, especially in children's clinics. It is usually understood as pathological condition- increased intracranial pressure. It can be quite unpleasant and dangerous, but not everyone understands what it means.

What is increased intracranial pressure?

Brain- the body is extremely delicate and fragile. Even minor damage to it can cause severe pathologies and disorders. Therefore, nature took care of its reliable protection. It is located inside a strong cranium, which protects it from external mechanical damage.

Increased intracranial pressure in medicine is also called intracranial hypertension.

And as an additional protection, the brain is surrounded by a layer of a special liquid - liquor. In fact, he is "suspended" in it, without touching the walls of the cranium.

There is a strictly defined amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranium. Since its volume is stable, as well as the size of the brain is normal, then intracranial pressure depends on the amount of cerebrospinal fluid.

Liquor, also known as cerebrospinal or cerebrovascular fluid, is formed in several ways: by sweating (leakage) of plasma through certain areas of blood vessels in the brain, as well as from the secretions of special glands. It circulates in the subarachnoid space, washing the brain, after which it is reabsorbed by other vessels.

Causes of increased intracranial pressure

Since the volume of the cranium is constant, intracranial pressure depends on two indicators - the volume of the brain and the amount of cerebrospinal fluid. If these indicators are within the normal range, then the pressure has normal indicators.

Thus, it is possible to identify several mechanisms for increasing intracranial pressure:

Enlargement of the brain: the formation of a tumor, benign or malignant.
Strengthening the production of liquor.
Deterioration of CSF reabsorption.
Violation of the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Theoretically, there is a fifth factor - a decrease in the volume of the cranium, but this is only possible for newborns whose skull bones have not yet fused. But about this - separately.
Such factors cannot arise on their own, they are the result of a number of diseases.

Diseases that cause increased intracranial pressure

It must be understood that increased intracranial pressure is not an independent disease, but only a symptom of severe and dangerous conditions.

There are several diseases that most often cause increased intracranial pressure. First of all, they include:
Volumetric brain tumors, both malignant and benign.

Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the brain and its membranes: meningitis, encephalitis.

Thrombosis of the venous sinuses, due to which the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid is disturbed.

Traumatic brain injury that caused the formation of large hematomas.

Hydrocephalus is a congenital condition, a violation of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, which manifests itself already in the first days or months of a child's life. The cause can be various factors, for example, infectious diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy.

Eclampsia and preeclampsia are forms of late toxicosis of pregnant women, in which blood pressure in a short time reaches critical values.

Ischemic stroke can also cause increased intracranial pressure.

These diseases are extremely severe. They have many health consequences, and increased intracranial pressure against their background is not the biggest problem. However, it can also be their first manifestation, so the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure should be known.

How does increased intracranial pressure manifest itself?

It should be noted that there are many manifestations of high intracranial pressure. They are quite diverse and can relate to different systems:

Severe, prolonged and frequent headaches. A characteristic feature may be their appearance after sleep or even during the night. It's easy to explain: horizontal position and in a dream, the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid slows down, the liquid is absorbed worse, accumulating in the subarachnoid space.

Cyanosis around the eyes, in some cases it can be seen venous pattern.

Nausea, and also vomiting, especially in the morning.

Weakness, fatigue, constant feeling fatigue.

Weather sensitivity. People suffering from high blood pressure are often more sensitive to changes in weather, especially pressure.

Visual impairment, which is a consequence of edema of the optic nerve.

Increased nervousness, anxiety, excitability.

The severity of symptoms may vary, depending on the degree of pressure increase.
To the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, others can be added if the underlying disease has already had time to give consequences.

Methods for diagnosing intracranial pressure

Measuring intracranial pressure is associated with a number of difficulties. The cranium that protects the brain also prevents it from being studied.
At present, there are only a few methods direct measurement intracranial pressure. This can be a spinal puncture, in which the inserted needle is connected to a conventional pressure gauge and the pressure that the outflowing cerebrospinal fluid creates is used to determine intracranial pressure.

Another method is to insert a transducer directly into the subarachnoid space.

Of course, such diagnostics is associated with a number of difficulties and poses a potential threat to the health of the patient, so they resort to it quite rarely.
Even the measured intracranial pressure is not very informative. Doctors in the post-Soviet space consider the value in the range of 100-200 units to be the norm, their American colleagues recognize even wider limits.

Therefore, in the diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure, one has to rely on indirect diagnostic methods:

Ultrasound of the brain. This method allows you to study the structure of the brain, as well as quite roughly, but to determine the amount of increased intracranial pressure. But it can be carried out only for children with an ungrown fontanel.

The study of the fundus. One of the consequences of increased intracranial pressure is swelling of the optic nerve. Indirect sign- this is the absence of pulsation of the vessels of the fundus and characteristic hematomas.

Magnetic resonance imaging. With the help of MRI, you can study in detail the structure of all parts of the brain. This allows you to detect their deformation, which is characteristic of an increase in intracranial pressure. Also, this diagnostic method helps to see tumors, determine their volume and location.

Electroencephalography. This method allows obtaining only indirect data, but in the presence of characteristic signs of intracranial hypertension, the data obtained provide greater confidence in the preliminary diagnosis.

Blood analysis. Inflammatory diseases brain, which cause an increase in cerebrospinal fluid, also manifests itself characteristic changes in the blood, in particular, an increase in the number of leukocytes.

The listed methods give only an indirect result, but if the data obtained are consistent with the clinical picture, then the diagnosis can be considered confirmed.
Treatment of increased intracranial pressure

If intracranial pressure is outside the normal range, it can lead to grave consequences, and headaches are the least of the problems.

Due to the fact that some parts of the brain are displaced, there are dislocation syndromes- a number of conditions, each of which threatens the health and life of a person. With a further increase, cerebral circulation may be disturbed, convulsions, confusion of consciousness may begin - up to coma and death.

A number of methods are used to treat increased intracranial pressure:
Diuretics. Diuretic drugs contribute to the outflow of fluid from the body, partially solving the problem of increased intracranial pressure, but its effectiveness is not too high.

Manual therapy. At venous congestion problem can be solved therapeutic massage and other methods of manual therapy.

Shunting. In emergencies and a significant amount of CSF, the only option is to remove some of the fluid. This can be done through spinal puncture or by insertion of a shunt.

It is worth noting that such measures do not eliminate the root cause of increased intracranial pressure, so it is important to choose the right therapy for the case.

Increased intracranial pressure in children

A huge amount of material is devoted to this topic today, so increased intracranial pressure in children should be discussed separately. AT last years pediatric neuropathologists and pediatricians make this diagnosis in almost half of newborns.

In the USA, Europe and many other countries, the diagnosis of "increased intracranial pressure in children" is made in isolated cases.
This problem is quite voluminous, and it is necessary to understand it carefully. On the one hand, in children after birth, intracranial pressure may indeed be somewhat elevated. This is due to the deformation of the bones of the skull after passing birth canal, the stress of moving from one environment to another, rapid growth brain. This state is physiological norm and no specific treatment does not require enough good night and walks.

Increased intracranial pressure is characterized by an increase in the amount of fluid in the brain when a traumatic brain injury or infection occurs (encephalitis, meningitis). The person feels as if something heavy is pressing on the head in the region of the crown. Nausea and vomiting often occur in the morning. With sharp forward bends, dizziness, double vision are noted. After a quick walk or climbing stairs, the heartbeat quickens, a pre-fainting state is felt. Before going to bed, heat in the temples is possible in the absence of elevated temperature, total body tension.

In newborns, the most common cause of increased intracranial pressure is hydrocephalus, a collection of a large number fluid in one of the cavities of the brain and swelling of the surrounding tissues. In this case, the size of the head is disproportionate to the body, the skull becomes pear-shaped.

A decrease in ICP occurs due to trauma or abnormal structure of the brain with a violation of the integrity bone structure at which there is a leakage of cerebral fluid. One of the reasons is also uncontrolled long-term use diuretics. Reduces pressure, pinching of the cervical vertebrae and venous dysfunction (vasoconstriction).

Symptoms of low intracranial pressure are: weakness, fatigue, irritability, drowsiness. A person can sleep for 8-10 hours and feel overwhelmed. Heaviness in the head is felt not from above, but from the sides, as if the head is clamped in a vise. Often there is a violation of breathing and a decrease in blood pressure.

Measurement of intracranial pressure

You can find out the indicator of intracranial pressure in newborns using neurosonography - ultrasound of the brain. Due to the abundance of hair on the head, this procedure cannot be performed by adults, therefore, if the patient has the appropriate symptoms, the therapist prescribes a comprehensive examination.

First of all, it is necessary to undergo an examination of the fundus of the eye by an ophthalmologist. In the absence of contraindications, the patient is instilled into the eyes 1-2 drops of a solution of scopolamine (0.25%) or homatropine (1%) to dilate the pupils.

The study is carried out using an electric ophthalmoscope or manually using a special magnifying glass and an ophthalmoscopic mirror. The electrical appliance does not require any additional funds and allows you to get as close as possible to the patient's eye, and the study is manually carried out in a darkened room at a sufficient distance.

The mirror is installed in front of the doctor's right eye, sitting at a distance of 40-50 cm from the subject. The light source (60-100 W matt electric lamp) is positioned behind and to the left of the patient, as in transmitted light examination. After obtaining a uniform glow of the pupil, the researcher places a magnifying glass (usually 13.0 diopters) 7-8 cm in front of the patient's eye, resting his finger on his forehead. The pupil of the researcher, the hole of the mirror, the center of the magnifying glass and the pupil of the subject must be on the same line.

When examining the fundus, the ophthalmologist pays attention to the optic nerve head and the state of the vessels of the retina. An increase in intracranial pressure is signaled by dilated tortuous vessels and a change in the color, contours, and tissue of the disc.

If there is any suspicion, the patient is referred to a neurologist. A neurologist may prescribe an MRI - magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, rheoencephalography and duplex scanning brachiocephalic arteries, which are responsible for cerebral blood supply. To conduct any of the studies, the patient must have a medical card, data on the previous examination, cotton pajamas or a T-shirt with him.

Since the method of magnetic resonance imaging is based on the visualization of body cavities during absorption and radiation by tissues electromagnetic waves, then before the examination it is necessary to remove jewelry (earrings, chains, beads, piercings, etc.), watches, telephone, magnetic cards. There should be no metal products on clothes (buttons, buckles, fasteners).

The patient in the prone position is placed on a retractable table in a kind of cylindrical capsule surrounded by a circular magnet. A special helmet is put on the head. Around the head are special devices - coils that receive and emit radio waves. During the procedure, the device is strong, so for convenience, the patient is offered headphones with pleasant, calm music. On average, an MRI procedure takes about 45 minutes.

Contraindications for MRI: weight over 150 kg, the presence of metal in the body (pins, bullets, fragments, a pacemaker, vascular and heart prostheses, vascular clips, etc.), claustrophobia, pregnancy, serious condition patient (patients on stretchers and gurneys).

Rheoencephalography - a method of registering changes electrical resistance the brain and soft tissues of the skull when a weak alternating current of high frequency passes through them, which is not felt in any way. The patient is seated in a comfortable chair, suction cups are placed on the head, to which wiring is attached. The light in the room is turned off, and light pulses of different frequencies are sent to the subject. To the beat pulse wave periodic current oscillations occur, which, after an appropriate amplification, can be displayed graphically in the form of a curve of pulse oscillations of the complex electrical resistance - a rheogram.

Duplex scanning of the brachiocephalic arteries is an ultrasound scan of the common, external, internal carotid and vertebral arteries on the neck. The procedure takes on average about 5-10 minutes and allows you to visually assess the state of the vessels - width, blood flow rate, lumen, etc.

Most exact method To determine intracranial pressure, the surgical insertion of a needle into the spinal canal is considered. However, few people decide on this procedure, since improper insertion of the needle can result in the patient pinching the nerve endings of the vertebrae and subsequent disability.

How to determine intracranial pressure when it is increased is a natural question that arises in people suffering from symptoms of pathology, the main of which is painful headache.

Increased intracranial pressure (ICP), which is also called, is a dangerous condition because prolonged squeezing of the brain causes a deterioration in its functions, structural disorders, and in the most severe cases can cause lethal outcome.

If intracranial hypertension is suspected, it is necessary to consult a doctor and undergo an examination, since it is not possible to check intracranial pressure at home. What symptoms can indicate this pathology?

Ophthalmoscopy is simple, cheap and at the same time highly informative method, which is sufficient to diagnose elevated ICP.

Symptoms of increased cranial pressure

For increased intracranial pressure, a triad of symptoms is characteristic:

Headache. The pain in this case intensifies at night, closer to the morning, is not relieved or is poorly relieved by analgesics, increases with a change in body position, especially when lowering the head, and is of a pressing, bursting nature.
Nausea, vomiting. These symptoms are not associated with food intake, appear and increase as the headache worsens, after vomiting, which can be repeated, the headache usually decreases.
Visual disturbances. This may be a decrease in visual acuity, the appearance of spots and flashes before the eyes, loss of lateral fields of vision. This sign is associated with edema of the optic disc due to its compression.

In addition, dizziness, lethargy, heart rhythm disturbances often appear, excessive sweating, cognitive decline.

Recognize elevated intracranial pressure external manifestations much more difficult. Symptoms that may indicate pathology in newborns and include:

anxiety and loud cry of the child for no apparent reason;
bulging fontanel;
disproportionate and inappropriate age norm head enlargement;
the appearance of a venous network on skin heads;
sleep disorders;
frequent spitting up and / or profuse vomiting (vomiting not associated with eating);
convulsions.

In children older than 2 years, a lag in mental and physical development may be detected.

However, it should be borne in mind that clinical signs are not a completely reliable basis for making a diagnosis, for confirming intracranial hypertension and determining medical tactics instrumental studies are needed.

intracranial hypertension is often not independent disease, but only a sign of another, primary pathology. In order to identify it or completely eliminate it, a clarifying diagnosis may be required.

How to check intracranial pressure in an adult

The first thing that is required if intracranial hypertension is suspected is an ophthalmological examination, which allows you to identify the so-called congestive fundus: swelling of the optic discs, dilated blood vessels etc. This is a simple, cheap and at the same time highly informative method, which is sufficient to diagnose increased ICP.

However, intracranial hypertension is often not an independent disease, but only a sign of another, primary pathology. In order to identify it or completely exclude it, a clarifying diagnosis, including measurement of intracranial pressure, may be required.

They are divided into invasive and non-invasive. Invasive methods are used only when it comes to severe pathology, for example, penetrating brain injury, tumors, etc. Their advantage is the possibility rapid decline excess pressure by removing part of the cerebrospinal fluid (or blood, if we are talking about). Invasive methods include:

epidural- the measuring device is placed in a hole drilled in the skull, between cranium and solid meninges, is brought to the lateral section of the ventricle of the brain, where measurements are taken;
subdural- a subdural screw is inserted into the burr hole in the skull, with the help of which measurements are taken;
intraventricular- the catheter is inserted into the skull through the burr hole and measures the level of intracranial pressure.

Clinical signs are not a completely reliable basis for making a diagnosis; instrumental studies are needed to confirm intracranial hypertension and determine treatment tactics.

Non-invasive diagnostics of intracranial pressure, in addition to ophthalmoscopy, include:

echoencephalography– method ultrasound diagnostics, which allows assessing the state of cerebral structures, brain pulsation and a number of other indicators;
transcranial dopplerography of the brain- ultrasound examination of the blood vessels of the brain using the Doppler effect, which measures the speed of blood movement in the middle of the basal vein and venous sinus;
otoacoustic method- a conclusion about the level of intracranial pressure is made on the basis of the degree of displacement of the tympanic membrane.

In addition, you can find out the level of intracranial pressure by the results of magnetic resonance or computed tomography, which allow you to visualize the filling of blood vessels, the state of the CSF circulation pathways, the presence of neoplasms, and the displacement of brain structures.

How to measure intracranial pressure in a child

In children, the same methods are used to measure ICP as in adults, however, in infants with open fontanelles, there is an opportunity to conduct another study, which is in many ways preferable. We are talking about neurosonography - ultrasound examination of the brain, which is informative, moreover, safe and painless.

Causes of intracranial hypertension

High cranial pressure occurs in all patients age categories and requires immediate treatment, as it can cause irreversible functional and sometimes structural brain disorders.

An increase in intracranial pressure is observed with excessive production of cerebrospinal fluid, as well as a violation of its outflow. The latter is more common and may occur against the background of hydrocephalus, meningitis, depends on its cause, severity clinical signs and glad of individual testimony. Based on these parameters, treatment can be conservative, surgical and combined.

It consists in the use of diuretics, sedatives, antispasmodics, painkillers.

Surgical treatment involves the removal of neoplasms (tumors, cysts, hematomas) and / or shunting, i.e., the creation of an artificial outflow for CSF.

In addition to the main treatment, physiotherapy methods, massage, (after consulting a doctor) can be used.

With idiopathic intracranial hypertension, lifestyle correction is mandatory: proper nutrition, normalization of the regime of work and rest, regular, but moderate physical exercise, daily exposure to fresh air.

Video

We offer you to watch a video on the topic of the article.

People quite often do not pay attention to headaches. In a sense, this is facilitated by modern medicines to mitigate discomfort.

But everyone should understand that its appearance is a signal from the body, saying that not everything is in order with you. Quite often in such patients, the main cause of discomfort is increased intracranial pressure. Symptoms in adults, treatment methods - read about all this in our review.

What is intracranial pressure

Liquor is cerebrospinal fluid, the excess of which can put pressure on the human brain. It is formed in clusters of small vessels, which are called "sacs" of the human brain.

And it is the pressure of this fluid that has come to be called intracranial. If there is little cerebrospinal fluid, then the pressure will inevitably decrease, but if there is too much of it, then this is exactly the case when doctors diagnose increased intracranial pressure. Symptoms in adults are extremely unpleasant. And yes, it is a dangerous disease.

A healthy person is distinguished by a stable level of fluid in the body, without obvious predominance in one direction or another.

Increased intracranial pressure: symptoms in adults

In addition to high blood pressure, this problem has a number of accompanying symptoms. How does increased in adults manifest the following:

headache markedly worse in the evening and at night;
constant feeling of nausea, but no vomiting;
a person feels weak and lethargic, he becomes irritable much faster;
the pupil of the eye does not react to light, and the patient himself has “flies” flashing in his eyes;
one side of the body abruptly loses muscle strength, which strongly resembles paralysis.

Headache with intracranial pressure often becomes more pronounced with sneezing and coughing. The same is to be expected from slopes.

In such cases, if the pain zone turns out to be indefinite, one can expect an increase in pain not in the evening, but in the morning.

Pressure has a significant effect on the optic nerve. The consequences of this can be temporary blindness, fog before the eyes and other manifestations that prevent a person from leading a full-fledged lifestyle.

Even mentally stable people experience discomfort during bouts of high blood pressure. They may experience nervous breakdowns, long periods depression. The person becomes lethargic, leads a passive lifestyle and is quickly irritated.

Frequent back pain can also be one of the manifestations of the disease.

How to be treated

If you have increased intracranial pressure, treatment should not be shelved. You need to urgently seek help from a specialist. Methods of therapy depend quite strongly on the reasons for the appearance of such high pressure. Much also depends on the age of the patient who consulted a doctor.

The main methods of treatment are taking drugs that affect the blood vessels, as well as sedatives and diuretics.

In addition, assigned manual therapy and gymnastics.

The patient is put on a specific diet, the essence of which is the use of foods rich in vitamins. It is necessary to avoid taking large amounts of liquid and salt.

In especially severe cases, drainage and the introduction of shunts are indicated - this is necessary to reduce the amount of cerebrospinal fluid.

How to reduce intracranial pressure yourself

If the disease caught you at the wrong time, then you can always deal with it at home. You should not count on a complete cure, but it is quite possible to relieve most of the symptoms. So,

Important role diuretic drugs, such as tincture of hawthorn, rosehip, lavender, etc., play in self-medication. They provoke a decrease in intracranial pressure.

It should be noted that before taking herbal tinctures in without fail you need to consult with your doctor.

Another quite effective massage of two points on the back of the head. To use it, you need to grab your head with your hands so that thumbs were right on the back of the head. After that, it is necessary to make circular movements for several minutes.

Tablets from intracranial pressure

Of course, in the treatment of intracranial pressure, it is also used drug therapy. It should be noted that the treatment medicines must be under the supervision of a physician. Otherwise, negative and even fatal consequences should be expected.

The usual practice in such cases is the appointment of diuretic drugs like Furosemide or Veroshpiron. If the condition adversely affected optic nerve patient, then in this case he is prescribed corticosteroid tablets for intracranial pressure, for example, Prednisolone or Dexamethasone.

Alternative treatment

Is it possible to folk treatment intracranial pressure? Alternative medicine is quite effective, but its main disadvantage is that it only weakens the symptoms that have manifested. Actually cure intracranial pressure with folk remedies almost impossible. They should be used in cases where it is not possible to get an appointment with the attending physician.

The main weapon against all ailments is herbal infusions and decoctions. Valerian, sage and St. John's wort are mainly used.

Having selected medicinal herbs, they should be poured with boiling water. You need to make sure that the herbs were taken no more than one tablespoon. You need to drink the infusion for one month, drinking a quarter cup three times a day. After a course of herbs, you should take a break from them for a significant period of time.

There are other options. Alcohol tincture- this is very popular remedy in the people. It is necessary to take dry clover flowers as a basis, fill them with exactly half of the jar, and fill to the very top with alcohol or vodka. After that, the tincture should be placed in a dark and cool place for two weeks.

When it is ready, it can be taken twice a day, one teaspoon, previously diluted with water.

And finally, tincture of garlic is good for headaches. To make it, you need to take three lemons and pass them through a meat grinder along with the skin. Add three chopped cloves of garlic to the resulting mixture.

After that, the drug should be allowed to settle, and only then you can start taking the medicine in small doses and several times a day.

Intracranial pressure. Which doctor should I contact?

What kind of doctor treats this unpleasant and potentially dangerous disease? First you have to go to a therapist to cut off all possible options. After that, they should issue a referral to a neurologist, but he already knows perfectly well what to do with the disease.

You should not expect that the doctor will be able to cure intracranial pressure instantly. To begin with, you will need to undergo many examinations, including an MRI and an encephalogram. After making sure that you do not have other brain pathologies, the doctor will be able to proceed with standard treatment procedures.

The need for examination by the therapist is high, since he needs to cut off many other possible diseases. This is very important, because the sooner you can start proper treatment, the easier it will be to defeat the disease.

Medicines for increased intracranial pressure

Some of the drugs fight the manifestations of intracranial pressure, while the rest are aimed at the root cause of the disease.

Medicines for increased intracranial pressure in adults are primarily diuretics. Their main purpose is to help the body get rid of excess fluid. The smaller it is, the faster the pressure will drop.

For example, the drug "Gricerol" effectively copes with this task.

In addition, drugs that expand vascular system person. For example, one of the most widely used options is magnesia. It also has an antiarrhythmic effect.

Among some doctors, it is common practice to treat internal cranial pressure according to a certain scheme, which includes nootropics and pills that help stabilize the blood circulation process in the brain.

Most frequent choice doctors are "Nootropil", "Pirocetam" and "Phenotropil". Their main goal is to normalize thinking process patient and at the same time help him cope with intellectual stress.

"Sermion" and "Cavinton" are already drugs that affect blood circulation. It is worth recalling once again that only a doctor is able to choose the right pills and determine the dosage. Self-treatment in such a delicate field of medicine can lead to such consequences that none of the doctors can reverse.

When to See a Doctor

It is not the slightest difficulty to measure normal pressure, but when it comes to intracranial pressure, here many fall into a stupor. And there is something from.

Most effective method to find out existence of a problem is a puncture. The doctor takes a needle connected to a pressure gauge and then inserts it into the spinal canal. All this requires careful preparation of the patient, which is available only in a hospital setting.

These are not all options. More expensive - MRI. It costs decent money, but it is no less accurate, and there is no need to insert any needles and other things that can scare the patient. And yet, most often, doctors manage with electroencephalography. With its help, you can detect changes in the picture brain activity, which is also evidence advanced level pressure in the brain.

If you once found yourself with an unreasonable headache and nausea, do not delay, consult a doctor. It may be possible to prevent the disease before it passes into more serious phases.

Causes of the disease

Intracranial pressure, the symptoms and treatment of which we examined, can be triggered by many factors, but most often similar condition observed in cases congenital pathologies and at the most various inflammations such as meningitis and encephalitis.

At risk are people who have excess weight. So useful vitamin And at the same time, it is a substance that can significantly increase your pressure, but this is possible only with an excess of retinol in the body.

Intoxication is another reason for the onset of the disease. Exposure to toxic substances adversely affects normal work brain. As a result, serious organic damage can be obtained.

Intracranial pressure in children

Children, no less than adults, are at risk of getting this unpleasant disease, which in the end can have the most negative impact on their level of development and further success in life. Apathy, drowsiness, excessive sensitivity, in some cases even strabismus. All this does not contribute to the learning process, prevents the child from being active and inquisitive.

The consequences of intracranial pressure for a child

The child is at risk of depression, he inevitably lags behind in his studies, does not want to go out with his peers, avoids new acquaintances and even locks himself in his room, because he does not want to participate in any of the activities.

Increased intracranial pressure (symptoms and treatment of the disease depend on the presence of concomitant diseases) can be found even in infants. Because of him, children learn late to hold their heads, walk and even talk. Therefore, a scheduled examination by specialists, including a neurologist, is not recommended to be skipped and ignored.

To prevent such a disaster from happening to your child, you should carefully listen to their complaints (of course, we are talking about older children, not babies) and, if necessary, take them to the doctor in a timely manner.

Symptoms of intracranial pressure in children

In children, the disease manifests itself in its own way, but there are also general symptoms. Anxiety and fatigue, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, strabismus - all this is what you should pay attention to during the period of growth of the child.

In absolutely crumbs, the shape of the head can be deformed and the volume of the head can increase, too frequent regurgitation is observed, and this does not even depend on meals. The child as a whole behaves more restlessly than all other children. And finally, a monotonous cry is another evidence that a small organism suffers from increased intracranial pressure.

Almost everyone has experienced a lung, a headache, a temporary blurred vision. These symptoms quickly disappeared, and few considered them to be manifestations of increased intracranial pressure. Exceeding the norm of ICP may indicate a violation of the structure or functioning of brain tissues due to a tumor, hematoma, hemorrhage, hydrocephalus.

The pressure intensity of cerebrospinal fluid on brain tissue is defined as intracranial pressure. Its norm is 100-151 mm of water column or 10-17 mm Hg.

Causes of increased intracranial pressure

Diseases and conditions that provoke an increase in ICP:

Swelling or inflammation of the brain tissue, leading to an increase in its volume;

Hydrocephalus - the formation of a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid;

tumor, hematoma, foreign body in the tissues of the brain;

Expansion of the vessels of the brain, an increase in the volume of blood circulating in them, as a result of poisoning or intoxication.

Diseases, the clinical picture of which includes an excess of intracranial pressure:

Traumatic brain injury;

Inflammation of the meninges accompanying neuroinfections;

Violation cerebral circulation as a result ;

Intoxication with poisonous gases, methanol, ethyl alcohol, salts of heavy metals;

Hydrocephalus;

Tumor of the medulla, meninges of the brain, hematoma;

Syndrome dandy-walker, arnold-chiari;

Benign intracranial hypertension.

If intracranial pressure is diagnosed in children under one year old, in 9 cases out of 10 it is caused by birth trauma.

Symptoms indicating intracranial pressure

Clinical picture ICP is characterized by a variety of symptoms that differ in adults and children.

Characteristic features increased intracranial pressure:

Pressive and bursting headache high intensity that occurs after a night's sleep, the place of its localization is the forehead, temples, nape;

Drowsiness;

Horse racing hell;

Violations of cognitive functions (attention, memory, thinking);

Violation of visual acuity leading to blindness.

Unlike children, most adult patients develop symptoms of increased ICP gradually. The main symptom is headache.

Its parameters are:

The time of appearance - after a night's sleep, is associated with an increase in pressure after a long stay in a horizontal position;

Character - pressing, pulsating, bursting;

What provokes the appearance of pain - sneezing, the application of minimal physical effort, long stay in a horizontal position;

Concomitant manifestations - dizziness, nausea and vomiting;

Feature The pain cannot be relieved with painkillers.

Manifestations of the syndrome autonomic dysfunction accompanying pressure increase:

heart pain;

fluctuations hell, heart rate;

Hypersalivation ( increased salivation);

Wetness of the palms and soles of the feet;

Feeling of suffocation;

Feelings of fear, anxiety;

increased irritability;

Apathy and drowsiness.

Less often, a patient experiences a combination of increased ICP with symptoms of a stroke, which increases the risk of death:

Loss of consciousness, development of coma;

Speech disorder;

wobbly gait, dizziness;

Decreased strength of the arms and legs;

Urinary and fecal incontinence;

severe vomiting;

Violation of the functioning of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

What to do if you find signs of increased intracranial pressure?

Algorithm of actions of a patient suffering from ICP:

Bring your internal state back to normal, remembering that at the current level of development of medicine, it is possible to maintain the usual quality of life even with increased intracranial pressure.

Get a consultation with a neurologist, undergo the necessary diagnostic measures(MRI, ultrasound of the brain, x-ray, consultation with an ophthalmologist).

Compliance with the treatment regimen chosen by the doctor (diet, medication). If surgical treatment is required, it is necessary to decide on it in order to avoid a fatal outcome.

How to determine intracranial pressure in a child?

Exceeding the norm of ICP in newborns provokes serious complications of the child's health. Timely diagnosed symptoms of the disease will help to choose the right treatment tactics.

Symptoms indicating increased intracranial pressure in children:

Pulsation of fontanelles, their bulging above the surface of the skull;

Divergence of the bones of the child's skull;

Behavioral disturbance - moodiness, restless behavior or lethargy and drowsiness;

Trembling of the chin;

Gushing vomiting, which does not bring relief to the condition, frequent regurgitation;

Visual impairment, strabismus, limited range of motion eyeballs;

An increase in the volume of the skull;

Disturbances of consciousness, up to its total loss, development of coma;

Impaired movement of the limbs.

The clinical picture of intracranial pressure develops in two ways:

Gradual development of the disease;

Sudden onset of ICP symptoms, impaired consciousness, development of coma.

In the second case, the probability of death is exceptionally high, it exceeds 90%.

Measurement of the level of ICP is carried out in several ways:

Study of the functioning of the brain using CT or MRI;

Insertion of a catheter connected to a pressure gauge into the tissues of the spinal cord or brain;

Ultrasound of the brain, in children under 1 year old - neurosonography (ultrasound through the parietal fontanel);

echoencephalography;

Examination of the fundus with the diagnosis of edema of the optic nerve head.

The choice of method for measuring intracranial pressure depends on the age of the patient and the characteristics of the disease. Diagnosis of ICP in children under one year old is carried out using echoencephalography and neurosonography. Patients with symptoms of acute cerebral circulation are prescribed MRI, an examination of the condition of the fundus by an ophthalmologist.

Absence medical care with a sudden increase in intracranial pressure, it can threaten the life of the patient, cause death.

Other complications arising from high intracranial pressure:

The occurrence of an epileptic syndrome;

Decreased vision to complete blindness;

Disorders of the psyche, intellect, cognitive functions;

Respiratory failure, impaired consciousness due to infringement of the cerebellum;