Intracranial pressure headache. Invasive diagnostic methods. Reduced intracranial pressure - pathogenesis

The brain tissue is very sensitive to mechanical influences. Therefore, nature placed the human brain in addition to the bone box (skull) in a protective liquid environment (subarachnoid fluid spaces) and provided it with internal fluid cavities (ventricles). Thus, the brain is actually suspended in a liquid - CSF (other names - cerebrospinal fluid or CSF). Liquor is in the cranial cavity under a certain pressure. It is the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid on the brain that is called intracranial pressure .

A normal level of intracranial pressure is very important for a person's well-being. Increased intracranial pressure is not an independent disease, but a symptom of many neurological diseases.

Causes of increased intracranial pressure

All fluid spaces and ventricles are interconnected by ducts. Liquor constantly circulates. In some parts of the brain, it is secreted, and then flows through the liquor ducts to other parts of the brain, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Full renewal of CSF occurs on average 7 times a day.

Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid causes an increase in its pressure on the substance of the brain. This is called increased intracranial pressure (intracranial hypertension).

Three common causes of chronic increased intracranial pressure:

1. too much liquor is released;
2. CSF is not fully absorbed;
3. the patency of the CSF circulation pathways is impaired.

Increased intracranial pressure and hydrocephalus lead to:

craniocerebral injury (even a very old one, up to a birth injury, concussion, brain bruises);
meningitis or encephalitis;
congenital structural features of the central nervous system (Arnold-Chiari anomaly, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, etc.);
poisoning (including medication and alcohol);
circulatory disorders in the vessels of the brain (for example, ischemia, encephalopathy, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine);
hypoxia;
intracranial volumetric processes (tumors of the brain, meninges, hemorrhages in the brain and intracranial hematomas).

Hydrocephalus

If intracranial pressure is increased significantly and for a sufficiently long time, the fluid cavities of the brain can expand - this expansion is called hydrocephalus . Since the cranial cavity is a closed space, the expansion of the fluid cavities of the brain occurs due to a decrease in the mass of the medulla itself. This process can adversely affect health.

MRI scan of a normal brain. The substance of the brain is shown in gray, the cerebrospinal fluid is shown in white. The normal size of the fluid spaces of the brain (they are slit-like). The ventricles are visible inside the brain. Subarachnoid spaces - a white border around the brain.

MRI scans for intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus. The result of inadequate treatment of increased intracranial pressure. Excessive accumulation of CSF inside the brain (in the form of a butterfly) and outside the brain (wide white border) is visible. The volume of the medulla is reduced - atrophy of the brain from fluid pressure.

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure

Increased pressure on the substance of the brain can disrupt the functioning of the central nervous system. Hence the characteristic symptoms:

Heaviness in the head or headaches, increasing in the morning or in the second half of the night;
In severe cases, nausea and / or vomiting in the morning is possible;
· Vegetative-vascular dystonia (sweating, drop or increase in blood pressure, palpitations, pre-syncope states, etc.) is an almost obligatory symptom;
· Fatigue, "stupefaction", easy exhaustion during work or study loads;
· Nervousness;
· "Bruises" under the gases (if you stretch the skin under the eyes in the "bruise" area, dilated small veins are visible);
Possible decrease in sexual desire, potency;
If the human body is in a horizontal position, the cerebrospinal fluid is released more actively and absorbed more slowly, so intracranial pressure and its symptoms tend to peak in the second half of the night or in the morning;
Intracranial pressure is the higher, the lower the atmospheric pressure, so the deterioration is associated with a change in the weather.

The diagnosis of intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus is established by doctors on the basis of characteristic symptoms and on the basis of data from special studies, such as brain tomography.

Diagnostics for suspected increased intracranial pressure (intracranial hypertension), hydrocephalus

Direct measurement of intracranial pressure is possible only by inserting a special needle with a manometer connected to it into the fluid cavities of the skull or spinal canal. Therefore, direct measurement of intracranial pressure is not applicable due to the invasiveness of the procedure.

Signs of changes in intracranial pressure in children and adult patients are detected during the following examination procedures:

neurological examination
brain MRI
fundus examination
performing a lumbar puncture
x-ray of the bones of the skull
REG (rheoencephalography)

An increase in intracranial pressure can be said with certainty based on the following data:

Expansion, tortuosity of the fundus veins is an indirect but reliable sign of increased intracranial pressure;
- Expansion of the fluid cavities of the brain and rarefaction of the medulla along the edge of the ventricles of the brain, clearly visible on computed x-ray tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
- Violation of the outflow of venous blood from the cranial cavity, established using ultrasound vascular studies.
- a decrease in the pulse wave on the REG study (on the rheoencephalogram)

How much the brain suffers from an increase in intracranial pressure can be judged by EEG data.

The gold standard for instrumental examination of patients is an assessment of symptoms, brain tomography data and fundus and EEG.

Echoencephalography (Echo-EG) provides indirect and not always reliable data on increased intracranial pressure, it is less reliable than CT and MRI, so this method is rarely used.

intracranial hypertension. Hydrocephalus - treatment

The human brain cannot work normally under the influence of excessive pressure, moreover, a slow atrophy of the white medulla occurs, and this leads to a slow decrease in intellectual abilities, a violation of the nervous regulation of the internal organs (hormonal disorders, arterial hypertension, etc.). Therefore, it is necessary to take all measures for the speedy normalization of intracranial pressure.

In the treatment of increased intracranial pressure, it is important to reduce the excretion and increase the absorption of CSF. Traditionally, it is customary to prescribe diuretics for this purpose. However, the constant use of diuretics is not always acceptable for the patient.

Treatment methods are used to normalize intracranial pressure without drugs. These are special gymnastics to reduce intracranial pressure (used by the patient on their own), individual drinking regimen and small changes in nutrition, unloading the venous bed of the head using soft manual therapy methods, acupuncture and physiotherapy.

Thus, a steady decrease in intracranial pressure is achieved without the constant use of diuretics, after which the unpleasant symptoms gradually decrease. The effect is usually noticeable already in the first week of treatment.

Increased intracranial pressure can be cured only if the disease that caused this symptom is treated.

Surgical treatment of hydrocephalus

In very severe cases (for example, CSF block after neurosurgical operations or congenital CSF block), surgical treatment is used. For example, a technology has been developed for implanting tubes (shunts) to drain excess CSF.

PS: Decreased intracranial pressure (hypotension) is caused by dehydration (vomiting, diarrhea, large blood loss), chronic stress, vegetative-vascular dystonia, depression, neurosis, diseases accompanied by impaired blood circulation in the vessels of the brain (for example, ischemia, encephalopathy, cervical osteochondrosis ).

Intracranial pressure in adults is a condition characterized by too high pressure of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull. In the normal state, the brain, its blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid function stably and create a kind of balance. If any of these components increases in size, it leads to the infringement of others, since the size of the skull remains the same. As a result, intracranial pressure rises.

The main causes and signs of increased intracranial pressure in adults

The appearance of intracranial pressure in adulthood can be influenced by a variety of factors. These include:

Violation of metabolic processes, which are accompanied by poor absorption of fluid into the blood.
An excessive amount of fluid in the human body, which leads to an increase in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid.
Vasospasm, which prevents the normal circulation of CSF.
Hypoxia of the brain.
Meningitis.
Hydrocephalus.
Overweight
Vitamin A overdose.
Violation of the outflow of blood.
Severe poisoning.
A brain tumor.

Fibrillar astrocytoma of the brain is a serious disease. More information about this disease can be found at this link:.

Video highlighting the signs and treatment of intracranial pressure:

People often do not pay attention to intermittent dizziness, mild headaches, nausea, temporary visual impairment. Associating such symptoms with overwork, mental strain, stress, many do not even suspect that all these are signs of intracranial pressure in adults. Meanwhile, intracranial hypertension is a serious disease that occurs when circulation is disturbed, the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) in one or another part of the skull.

Quantitative indicators of increased VHF indicate the force with which the cerebrospinal fluid acts on the brain tissue. If pressure is applied to the medulla for a long time, its structure is damaged. The result is disturbances in the functioning of the brain, which affect the vital activity of all organs and systems.

That is why it is so important to be able to recognize the symptoms of intracranial pressure in time and take timely measures to treat the developing disease. Inaction, attempts to self-treat intracranial hypertension is a dangerous path that can lead to serious consequences.

An increase in intracranial pressure is indicated by different, at first glance, unrelated signs of malaise. Experts distinguish them into separate groups. But the very first, main symptom of intracranial hypertension is a headache.

Pain syndrome with increased ICP does not have a specific location of localization. The nature of the pain is described as bursting, pressing. Sometimes there is a throbbing pain in the head. Increases in cases of violation of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the brain: when tilting the head, sneezing, coughing, straining. It becomes more intense during a night's sleep, closer to the morning, due to the increased production and flow of cerebrospinal fluid to the head. Often accompanied by tinnitus. Painkillers are not removed.

Severe headaches caused by increased intracranial pressure are accompanied by nausea. Sometimes vomiting occurs. In this case, vomiting is not caused by food poisoning, but by pressure on the nerve endings of the vomiting center of the medulla oblongata. It is possible to distinguish such symptoms of ICP from migraine attacks, during which nausea and vomiting are also observed, by the nature of vomiting. She is strong, gushing, does not bring relief.

Visual disturbance is another characteristic symptom of increased intracranial pressure in adults. It occurs as a result of compression of the optic nerves. It is manifested by double vision, impaired peripheral vision, decreased pupillary response to light, short-term fogging, uneven pupils, intermittent blindness.

Often, an increase in ICP is signaled by the symptom of the “setting sun”. The eyeball bulges outward due to strong pressure, as a result of which the eyelids cannot close completely. The eyes remain half open all the time. When looking down, the upper edge of the iris is visible between them.

Dark circles appear under the eyes. With intracranial hypertension, this is not an ordinary sign of fatigue, but a consequence of the overflow of blood in the small vessels of the lower eyelids.

Syndrome of dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system

With an increase in intracranial pressure in adults, in addition to the leading signs, the following symptoms appear:

Dizziness.
Flushes of heat, chills, sweating. The reason is a violation of the functions of the autonomic NS.
Back pain caused by increased CSF pressure in the spinal canal.
Pain in the abdomen, in the region of the heart.
Wet palms, soles of the feet.
Shortness of breath (dyspnea), a feeling of lack of air, which appear due to compression in the medulla oblongata of the respiratory center.
"Goosebumps" on the skin, hyperesthesia, painful sensitivity of the skin.
Paresis (weakening) of muscles that occurs on one of the upper, lower extremities or on one half of the body. The condition resembles mild paralysis. It is a consequence of damage to the cells of the nervous tissue of the motor centers of the spinal cord and brain.
Hypersalivation (increased salivation).
Increase and decrease in blood pressure during the day, unstable pulse.
Problems with the intestines, manifested in the form of constipation or, conversely, diarrhea.

Indirect symptoms of increased ICP caused by autonomic disorders include increased fatigue, irritability, general weakness, and apathy. Such mental health disorders are a sign of pyramidal insufficiency, which develops against the background of prolonged pressure on the cerebral cortex, the medulla oblongata.

With intracranial hypertension, compression of the areas of the brain responsible for emotions occurs. As a result, increased ICP is often accompanied by mood instability, depressive states. An unreasonable feeling of fear, unreasonable anxiety belong to the same category of symptoms of intracranial hypertension.

Pre-stroke conditions

Every adult should understand that neglect of health, improper treatment sooner or later turns into serious problems. If you do not pay attention to the "ordinary" symptoms of increased intracranial pressure or try to drown them out by taking painkillers, a condition that poses a direct threat to life may develop.

Signs that indicate the need for emergency treatment:

Strong dizziness.
Violation of the functions of the vestibular apparatus.
Decreased visual function up to blindness.
Clouding of consciousness.
Disorder of speech abilities.
Weakness in the limbs.
Dysfunction of the pelvic organs, expressed in incontinence or urinary retention, defecation.
Uncontrollable, excruciating vomiting.
epileptic syndrome.
Hemorrhagic, ischemic stroke.

Of particular danger is the state of a sharp increase in intracranial pressure. If the patient is not provided with immediate medical care, the likelihood of a fatal outcome is high.

Treatment of ICP

If symptoms of intracranial hypertension are detected, treatment should not be delayed. First you need to undergo a medical examination. Diagnostic measures in this case include an examination by a therapist, a neurologist, an ophthalmologist, ultrasound, MRI (CT), and radiography. Therapy is prescribed based on the results of the diagnosis.

Symptomatic treatment of intracranial pressure in adults begins with the elimination of the causes of intracranial hypertension. If the increase in ICP is caused by the formation of hematomas, tumors, aneurysms in the brain, surgical intervention is necessary. The patient undergoes an operation, the purpose of which is to remove the tumor-like formation.

With excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid inside the cranium, shunting is performed. Thanks to such an operation, additional pathways for the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the brain are created. As a result, intracranial pressure normalizes.

Drug therapy aimed at correcting ICP involves taking certain drugs:

Hormone-containing agents (Descametasone).
Osmodiuretics (Glycerol), which reduce the secretion of cerebrospinal fluid.
Neuroprotectors (Glycine).
Loop diuretics that normalize intestinal motility (Furosemide).

In the treatment of increased ICP, not only tablets are used. Drug therapy involves procedures that aim to reduce the amount of cerebrospinal fluid inside the skull. These techniques include decompression craniotomy, ventricular puncture.

If there are problems with the spine against the background of intracranial hypertension, the main treatment course is supplemented with manual therapy techniques. The task of physiotherapy treatment is to improve blood circulation in the brain, ensuring the flow of an optimal amount of oxygen.

In addition, patients are prescribed procedures for hyperventilation, hyperbaric oxygenation, etc. Homeopathic preparations, therapeutic exercises in the treatment of increased ICP in adults are not used if there are tumor formations in the brain, and also if the cause of hypertension is a head or spinal injury.

Often confused with elevated ICP, which contributes to an incorrect diagnosis.

Excess or lack of cerebrospinal fluid in certain areas of the brain under the skull can cause intracranial pressure, the symptoms and treatment of which everyone should know.

The fluid that is inside the skull and in the cavity of the spinal cord is called cerebrospinal fluid. Its task is to protect the brain from external damage, overload and injury. For normal functioning of the liquid, it is necessary to be under a certain pressure.

The pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid is created due to the constant movement of the fluid. Under certain conditions, the normal movement of the fluid may be disturbed. If there is an increase in the amount of CSF, this leads to increased intracranial pressure, if there is not enough CSF in some places, the pressure drops.

The appearance of increased intracranial pressure in adults is associated primarily with trauma to the head or back.

If the lining of the brain or skull is injured, there may be a violation of the integrity of the tissues or swelling of the brain. With a severe injury, a hemorrhage or hematoma may appear, which can create an obstacle, disrupt the movement of cerebral fluid. The same effect is given by a foreign object entering the head area or the development of a brain tumor.

Rapidly intracranial pressure can increase due to the ingestion of toxic substances. In case of poisoning, poisons can negatively affect the state of cerebral vessels and expand them.

In some cases, increased intracranial pressure can change constantly, gradually increasing:

intracranial pressure, as a complication in various types of stroke;
complication in inflammatory diseases of the tissues of the spinal cord and brain (meningitis, ventriculitis, etc.);
with constant contact with toxic substances.

In adults, increased intracranial pressure may be associated with the following circumstances:

a large amount of fluid in the body due to disruption of the kidneys or other internal organs;
diseases of the vascular system, in which they undergo regular spasms;
oxygen starvation of the brain due to injury or illness;
obesity.

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in adults

Symptoms in adults with increased intracranial pressure are quite different.

The main symptom is headache. It appears mainly in the morning hours. It can be localized in the back of the head, frontal zone or in the temples. A person develops in parallel with pain a feeling of fullness in the head.

Severe headaches can be accompanied by nausea and even vomiting. This is accompanied by chronic fatigue syndrome: a person, even after sleep, feels overwhelmed, his memory and perception may be impaired.

Symptoms of eye disorders:

blurred vision;
impaired peripheral vision (it can narrow significantly);
over time, the eyes begin to double, they cannot focus quickly on the subject;
swelling and dark circles under the eyes gradually appear.

As the disease develops, different parts of the brain can be affected, tinnitus and hearing loss, jumps in blood pressure, pain during sudden movements of the head, at the base of the skull and in the cervical vertebrae can be added to the main symptoms.

Quite life-threatening symptoms may also be present, the treatment of which should occur immediately, such as frequent fainting and loss of vision.

Increased intracranial pressure in children

In young children, high intracranial pressure may appear after a birth injury, and also due to a serious infectious disease that the expectant mother suffered during the formation of the child's brain ventricles.

In the first months and years of life, the disease may appear after suffering meningitis or encephalitis.

Illness in infants can appear due to a number of reasons that are not related to illness, poisoning or injury. High pressure in the skull can appear after a long hysterical crying or strong physical activity. You should not immediately attribute the pathology to the child. As a rule, the pressure decreases some time after calming down.

Some parents and pediatricians see the causes of the pathology in the excessive physical activity of the child, but this opinion is erroneous.

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in children are similar to adults, but an infant cannot complain of a headache or double vision, so the diagnosis is based on the following symptoms:

an increase in head size is not proportional to the average for this age category;
change in the location of the bones of the skull (they may diverge);
pulsation of the fontanel in young children;
blurred vision and strabismus.

It will be erroneous to take activity or, conversely, lethargy of the child, trembling in the limbs, walking on tiptoe, poor sleep and appetite for symptoms of pathology.

Diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure in children is carried out by measuring the circumference of the head. Treatment in children largely coincides with adult therapy, in addition, it is recommended to give children additional vitamins.

Treatment of increased intracranial pressure

There are two types of diagnosis of intracranial pressure:

using magnetic resonance therapy and radiography;
by inserting a special needle.

In young children, a brain examination can be done using ultrasound diagnostics through the fontanel.

An accurate measurement of intracranial pressure is carried out using a special sensor. It is attached directly to the bones of the skull. To do this, the neurosurgeon must cut the tissues and move them to the side.

With increased pressure, special treatment is necessary, tablets should improve the flow of oxygen and nutrition of the brain.

Treatment of increased intracranial pressure is mandatory, since fluid under pressure can damage parts of the brain, which leads to disruption of human life and even death.

Treatment of increased intracranial pressure is based on the exclusion of the reasons for which it appeared. With a brain tumor, trauma or hematoma, surgical intervention is necessary.

Diuretics will help reduce the amount of fluid in the body. They will help if a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull has led to an increase in pressure. The doctor may prescribe the following diuretic drugs: Diacarb, Furosemide, etc.

Treatment in adults is not complete without nootropic drugs. This group of drugs helps improve blood circulation and nutrition. Of the drugs in this group, doctors often prescribe Pantogam and Aminalon to patients.

To optimize the processes of cerebral circulation, vascular compositions are prescribed: Cavinton, Sermion.

Doctors advise their patients to take (simultaneously with the main treatment) vitamin complexes to increase immunity and improve health. Physiotherapy exercises are also often prescribed, which is carried out in a clinic or hospital.

In addition to the prescribed drug therapy, the patient must follow a diet. It is necessary to exclude from the diet all foods that provoke the body to fluid retention and cause thirst. Patients are prohibited from spicy, salty, fried and smoked foods, chocolate products, carbonated and alcoholic drinks.

Treatment with folk remedies can take place using various plants. These methods can be applied only in the chronic form of the disease.

It is impossible to treat with folk remedies acute high intracranial pressure, it can only be treated with the help of medications.

Massage can help relieve pressure and relieve pain. It is necessary to mix flower pollen and honey. The resulting mixture must be put for three days in a dark place. The resulting mass can be rubbed into the bridge of the nose, back of the head and neck. The mixture should be left for a while. To enhance the effect, you can wrap your head with a towel. To reduce intracranial pressure, the procedure must be performed for a whole month daily.

If such conditions become frequent, then many begin to wonder if he has increased intracranial pressure, and what symptoms accompany this disease.

What is intracranial pressure

Intracranial pressure is inherent in every person. This is an indicator of the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on the medulla itself. The norms of pressure inside the cranium have a very large spread - 60 - 200 mm. water column. Such a wide amplitude of the norm is due to the individual characteristics of a person or a situation. With an increase in physical activity, strong excitement, sneezing or crying, the indicators will rise instantly several times. This is an absolutely normal situation, and everything will return to normal after a while without medical intervention.

The mechanism of occurrence of increased ICP

The brain is a very delicate tissue that needs reliable protection. Such protection is provided by the cranium, and in order for the brain tissue not to be injured when rubbing against the skull, the cavity contains cerebrospinal fluid or cerebrospinal fluid. In addition to the protective function, liquor provides nutrition and water-electrolyte balance. This fluid is produced in the human body, bathes the brain and is then absorbed back into the blood. In those cases when in this process, for some reason, a violation of circulation occurs and the amount of cerebrospinal fluid increases, the fluid begins to exert excessive pressure on the brain tissue. It is in such situations that doctors talk about increased intracranial pressure.

Signs of pathology

ICP is not an independent disease and is only a consequence of the development of the underlying disease. Based on this, it must be understood that the increase in pressure will occur rather slowly, and the symptoms characteristic of this pathology will appear gradually and in an increasing mode.

Headache attacks periodically occur in any, even the most healthy person. But this does not mean at all that intracranial pressure has increased. High intracranial pressure has characteristic symptoms:

impaired peripheral vision;
pupils become different sizes;
low pupillary response to light;
bifurcation of objects;
blurring and even temporary blindness.

These problems are caused by increased pressure on certain optic nerves.

Reasons why ICP may occur

This disease develops only as a consequence of other pathologies. In modern medical practice, there are several main reasons that can lead to high blood pressure:

congenital diseases. The most famous pathology is hydrocephalus. In a newborn child, there may be a pathology in the development of the venous sinuses, which provide absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. As a result of the fact that there is too much CSF, there is excessive pressure on the brain and on the walls of the skull. The seams come apart and the head becomes unnaturally large.
pathological course of pregnancy. If there were unfavorable moments, such as prolonged labor, cord entanglement and severe toxicosis, then the baby experienced severe oxygen starvation. As a result, the brain, with a lack of oxygen, turned on compensation mechanisms, and this led to additional production of cerebrospinal fluid.
Neoplasms. Such pathologies include tumors of any type and cysts. With this option, the process of fluid circulation can be disrupted at any of its stages.
Hematomas. These formations are most often the result of traumatic brain injuries and can lead to very negative consequences.
Edema of the brain. This happens as a result of injuries, neurosurgical interventions, strokes. A blood clot causes it, which blocks the vein, through which the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid passes.
Various endocrine disorders. Doctors include obesity, hyperthyroidism, hepatic encephalopathy, and adrenal insufficiency in this category of diseases. All these diseases are accompanied by high blood pressure, which provokes additional release of water into the cerebrospinal fluid.
Medications. Some medications can cause "pseudo brain tumors".

Modern diagnostic methods

Increased extracranial pressure is very difficult to diagnose. This happens due to the fact that there are still no methods for measuring intracranial pressure in a safe way. Today, doctors resort to several options for confirming this diagnosis:

Methods for the treatment of ICP

Treatment of the primary disease

Never happens on its own. This is a consequence of another primary disease. Given this fact, any experienced doctor will begin therapy for this pathology by identifying and treating the root cause. For example, in the event that high pressure was caused by hydrocephalus, then excess fluid is simply pumped out, for infectious diseases such as encephalitis or meningitis, antibiotics will be the basis of treatment, and in the presence of a neoplasm, surgical intervention is used. With this approach to treatment, intracranial pressure itself is not reduced, since symptoms can be distorted. When the underlying disease is cured, problems with ICP disappear on their own.

Emergency reduction of intracranial pressure

Sometimes high pressure reaches critical levels, at which there is a threat of the development of various complications or even just the life of the patient. In such situations, the doctor is faced with the question - how to reduce intracranial pressure on an emergency basis. For these purposes, quite complex manipulations are used:

Taking medications

After the diagnosis of ICP has been accurately confirmed and it has been determined that this problem is associated with the presence of an underlying disease in a chronic form, the patient needs to know how to relieve high intracranial pressure, since persistent headaches significantly reduce the quality of daily life. With this development of the disease, the doctor may prescribe the following drugs:

diuretic drugs;
preparations containing potassium;
corticosteroids.

Physiotherapy

In the chronic course of the disease, patients are often prescribed the following types of physiotherapy:

Electrophoresis with the introduction of "Euphyllin" into the collar zone. It is used to improve the functioning of blood vessels that feed the brain.
Procedures using magnetic fields that help normalize vascular tone, which in turn leads to a decrease in pressure.

Massage

In addition to drug treatment, a neuropathologist often prescribes a course of massages for the collar zone of the spine. It can be 15 - 20 procedures. Further, the patient can use the methods of self-massage, which is carried out daily 2 times a day and lasts 10-15 minutes. These can be the following methods:

We put our palms on the back of the head, press lightly and lead our hands down the neck to the very collarbones.
We feel the edge of the occipital bone from below with the fingertips and, stroking the neck in a circular motion, move down.
We find the base of the skull and, making circular movements, we move along the entire edge of the bone. If everything is done correctly, there should be slight pain.

Physiotherapy

Regular physical activity provides an increase in the tone of the muscles of the cervical-shoulder region, due to which muscle spasm can be eliminated. This will be facilitated by swimming, tennis or exercise therapy.

A good result can be obtained by performing the following exercises:

We keep our back straight, and we push our head as far forward as possible, then lower it down. We slowly return to the starting position.
Lower your head as far as possible down and make turns to the right and left.
Tilt your head to the right and left as deeply as possible.
Turning the head - as much as possible to the right and to the left.
While inhaling, we raise our head up, hold our breath for a few seconds, and then lower our head down as we exhale.

Acupuncture

This method of treatment is aimed at reducing, using the impact on the reflex zones. In addition, in the process of these manipulations, metabolic processes are normalized and the entire nervous system is brought back to normal.

Preventive actions

People who regularly have increased intracranial pressure, in addition to standard treatment, it is imperative to pay attention to the prevention of the disease. To this end, it is important:

Follow a diet in which it is necessary to include foods with a high content of potassium and magnesium salts - buckwheat, beans, kiwi, dried apricots, sea kale. It is important to adhere to the drinking regime - 1 - 2 liters of water per day.
Exclusion from your life of bad habits.
Raise the bed at its head.
Lead a physically active lifestyle.
Avoid baths and prolonged exposure to the sun.