What does intracranial pressure affect? Symptoms and treatment of increased intracranial pressure. Complications: what is the danger of increased ICP

Nature placed the human brain in a liquid protective environment called cerebrospinal fluid or cerebrospinal fluid. It is under a certain pressure, called intracranial pressure (ICP). Lack or accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in any part of the skull is caused by a violation of its circulation, which leads to the development serious illnesses. Intracranial pressure, the symptoms and treatment of which we will discuss below, can cause tumors, strokes, injuries, even death. Let's see what are the factors of deviations from the norm and methods of treating ICP.

Symptoms and signs of intracranial pressure

spinal brain fluid formed by choroid plexus brain and secretion of glandular cells. It circulates in the ventricles, removes metabolic products of brain cells, protects them from microbes and mechanical shocks. A healthy person has about 1 liter of CSF, which will remain normal. The indicator of intracranial pressure depends not only on the amount of fluid, but also on the degree of absorption into the venous vessels and the conditions of circulation in the ventricles.

Intracranial pressure is not a constant value. Doctors compare it with arterial, which rises and rises several times during the day, depending on psycho-emotional state or human physical activity. An increase in intracranial pressure in a child, especially in an infant, is often caused by such congenital pathology, as hydrocephalus of the brain, which, as a rule, develops during the mother's pregnancy. If you detect and start treating this disease in a timely manner, you can prevent the developmental delay of the baby.

Increased intracranial pressure

When cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the cranium in excess or it is not fully absorbed into the vessels, then a person develops increased intracranial pressure. The degree of danger of this condition is determined by the rate of its increase: if ICP rises slowly, then the body has time to adapt to the symptoms. If the pressure has risen sharply, then this leads to infringement of the cerebral hemispheres or damage to its vital centers, which can cause death.

Increased intracranial pressure is not an independent disease. This may be a manifestation of diseases such as:

1. encephalitis, meningitis.
2. congenital anomalies.
3. Concussions, bruises, injuries, regardless of the degree of prescription.
4. Hypoxia.
5. Tumors of the brain or its membranes.
6. Intracranial hematomas, hemorrhages.
7. Violation of blood circulation in the vessels.
8. Alcohol or drug poisoning.

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure:

• frequent headaches, especially in the morning;
• vomiting, nausea;
• excessive sweating;
• cardiopalmus;
• visual disturbances: double vision, throbbing pain;
• bruising or small bruising under the eyes;
• fast fatiguability, nervousness;
• deterioration of joint mobility;
• decreased potency, sexual desire.

Reduced

Decreased intracranial pressure or hypotension occurs with prolonged narrowing cerebral arteries, with the expiration of cerebrospinal fluid or after a long and uncontrolled intake of diuretics. Depending on the clinical picture of hypotension, the following types are distinguished:

1. Due to the reduced tone of the vessels of the brain, the walls of the vessels are stretched, so pain is observed in the temples, the back of the head, or is localized in one part of the head. Sometimes the pain is accompanied by vomiting, nausea, darkening in the eyes.
2. The patient feels an outflow venous blood when lowering head down or lying down. The main symptom is headache in the morning.

Symptoms of low intracranial pressure can be varied:

• headache that does not go away for several days in a row;
• apathy, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, weakness;
• dependence on atmospheric pressure, weather conditions;
• violation heart rate, heartache;
• feeling of lack of air;
• depressive states, negative emotions, irritability.

Methods for the treatment of intracranial pressure

The presence of symptoms of intracranial pressure in a person is not yet an indicator of a deviation from the norm. To identify ICP, you need to go through certain diagnostic procedures. Modern medicine for diagnosis and application proper treatment uses direct and indirect methods. The direct ones include puncture of the spinal cord and ventricles of the brain, and the indirect ones include ultrasound, a visit to an ophthalmologist, MRI, EEG.

Before treating intracranial pressure, the underlying disease that caused the problems should be determined. As a prevention of jumps in intracranial pressure, experts recommend:

• choose an individual dose and mode of fluid intake;
• take diuretic folk remedies or medicines;
• perform gymnastics to normalize intracranial pressure;
• observe regimes proper nutrition;
• go swimming;
• regularly massage the collar zone;
• do not expose the body to excessive physical exertion.

Medical treatment

Tablets for the treatment of intracranial pressure are prescribed, if necessary, after diagnosing a violation of the norm. This measure is always temporary, it is resorted to in extreme cases if there is a risk of irreversible brain effects. As a rule, in this situation, doctors prescribe for treatment:

1. Diuretics (furosemide, diacarb, amiloride). They help to improve the absorption and withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid.
2. Nootropic drugs (aminalon, pantogam) that help improve nutrition and blood circulation.
3. Vascular compounds (sermion, cavinton) are prescribed to optimize the processes of cerebral circulation.
4. Vitamin complexes (vita v-plus, neurobion) to improve health and increase immunity.

Physiotherapy

The following help to normalize or completely remove the symptoms of high intracranial pressure. special exercises:

1. Take a small (about 40 cm) cylindrical stick, put it behind your head, stroke the neck muscles to the left and right of the spine from top to bottom. Do 3 times daily for 15 minutes.
2. Grasp your head with your fingers splayed so that your thumbs are at the level of attachment to the back of the neck muscles. Massage this point for half an hour in circular motions several times a day.
3. Do gentle head tilts forward, backward, right, left, careful rotations and turns left and right every morning and evening 10-15 times.

Diet and Diet

With increased inside cranial pressure foods that cause thirst and provoke the body to fluid retention should be excluded from the diet. These include: smoked meat, salty and spicy foods, chips, canned food, sausages, carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee, cakes, chocolate, pickled foods. You need to give up fried fatty foods, giving preference to steaming or in the oven. The mode of such nutrition must be set constant so that the jumps in intracranial pressure decrease or cease to bother at all.

Useful products for increased or decreased intracranial pressure include:

1. Meat: low-fat varieties - chicken, rabbit, turkey, veal.
2. Flour: yesterday's wheat bread, crackers, lean cookies, biscuits, durum wheat pasta.
3. Fish low-fat varieties.
4. Cereals.
5. Dairy products other than fatty/salty cheese and sour cream.
6. All vegetables baked and boiled. Raw, they should be consumed sparingly.
7. Fresh fruits and berries.
8. Drinks: weak teas, vegetable and fruit juices, rosehip broth.

Learn more about how to take it correctly.

How to reduce pressure folk remedies

Treatment of intracranial pressure with tablets is not always advisable, because it tends to rise and fall several times during the day. At chronic course diseases have been effectively treated with herbs, honey, lemons. Folk remedies will help relieve the symptoms of ICP without risk to health:

• Quickly relieves high blood pressure syndrome alcohol and camphor oil taken 1:1. The ingredients must be mixed, moistened with a gauze bandage and applied before going to bed on the head, which needs to be wrapped in cellophane, and a warm scarf is tied on top of the compress. The next morning, all that remains is to wash your hair.
• From a headache with ICP, inhalation with an infusion of 30 bay leaves is effective, which should be brewed in 1 liter of boiling water. Do inhalations twice a day for 10 minutes until the symptoms disappear.
• To reduce intracranial pressure, it is necessary to drink 50 g of nettle infusion with a string for a month before each meal. For its preparation 3 tbsp. l. herbs, mixed in equal amounts, pour 1 liter boiled water.
• Lemon juice with honey perfectly removes the symptoms of ICP. To prepare it, you need the juice of 1 lemon, mixed with 2 tbsp. l. honey and 100 ml of water. Mix all ingredients and drink immediately. The course of treatment is 20 days.

Surgical intervention

Surgery is used when conservative treatment symptoms of intracranial pressure does not bring the expected results. This is especially true for hydrocephalus, when fluid accumulates in the skull, exerting strong pressure on the meninges, which causes serious complications, for example, mental or mental abnormalities of the patient.

When treating with drugs, only a part of the symptoms of hydrocephalus is removed, therefore surgical intervention necessary in this case. During the operation, the ventricles of the brain are drained, in which excess fluid is removed from the skull. If the cause of hydrocephalus lies in the tumor, then during surgery it is removed. After the operation, the patient must be prescribed a course of antibiotic treatment.

How to measure intracranial pressure at home

How to determine intracranial pressure at home - this question is of interest to many people. I would like to note right away that it is not possible to do this on your own. The only way to accurately check intracranial pressure is through an invasive procedure that measures changes in the cerebral ventricles with specialized sensors. But there are symptoms that indicate a change in the normal indicators of intracranial pressure, which we discussed above. If they constantly appear, then you should definitely consult a doctor.

Video: how to lower intracranial pressure with massage

Some people confuse intracranial pressure with arterial pressure. They differ in that arterial is the pressure of blood in the vessels, and ICP is the amount cerebrospinal fluid. In the first case, it is easy to control the situation on your own, and in the second case, if you have any symptoms, you must consult a doctor. But anyone can help themselves with chronically increased intracranial pressure.

Manual therapy, breathing exercises, simple forward bends, in which excess fluid is pumped out of the cranium, perfectly helps to cope with the disease. A severe headache during a change in the norm of intracranial pressure is removed with a massage. Watch a video showing simple exercises that quickly help reduce high ICP:

High intracranial pressure is a rather serious pathology, which seems to some patients to be a death sentence. In fact, this kind of entry in the medical record is not a cause for panic. Not in every case, increased intracranial pressure indicates the presence of a serious problem. To exclude it, timely diagnosis is necessary.

general information

Intracranial pressure (increased) is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in some parts of the skull, provoked by a violation of its circulation. This liquid is called liquor. It is localized mainly in the ventricles of the brain. The main function of the cerebrospinal fluid is to protect the gray matter from all kinds of mechanical damage and overloads.

The fluid is absolutely always under a certain pressure. Moreover, it is constantly renewed by circulation from one part to another. In the event of any violations or failures, the cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in one area. As a result, increased intracranial pressure occurs. Symptoms of this pathology may vary depending on its primary causes.

Classification of ICP in adults

AT medical practice there are two forms of this pathological condition: acute and chronic. Let's look at each option in more detail below.

1. An acute condition is usually the result of intracranial hemorrhage or severe brain damage, such as a stroke or aneurysm rupture. In some cases, this change leads to lethal outcome. To normalize a person's condition, doctors most often resort to craniotomy. This procedure involves the removal of individual sections of the skull through surgical intervention. This approach allows you to reduce intracranial pressure as soon as possible.
2. Symptoms and treatment of the chronic form are somewhat different. This pathology is a neurological disorder. may appear for no apparent reason or be the result of mechanical damage, various ailments, taking certain groups of drugs. Chronic form entails quite serious consequences for human health, one of which is a rapidly progressive decrease in vision.

The main causes of increased ICP in adults

Various factors can contribute to this problem, including the following:

• Violations at the level of metabolic processes, accompanied by poor absorption of fluid into the blood.
• Vasospasm, which negatively affects the normal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.
• Excessive volumes of fluid in the body, resulting in an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid.
• Stroke.
• Meningitis.
• Encephalitis.
• Overweight.
• Frequent migraines.
• An overdose of vitamin A in the body.
• Violation of the normal outflow of blood.
• Brain tumor.
• body intoxication.

Symptoms of ICP in adults

This pathology is determined by a number of accompanying signs, namely:

• Headaches or a constant feeling of heaviness is the first symptom of intracranial pressure (increased). Most often, discomfort occurs in the morning and at night. Headaches are intense.
• Vegetative-vascular dystonia. Such a manifestation is accompanied by a fainting state, a decrease in blood pressure, increased sweating and a rapid heartbeat.
• Nausea, and in some cases vomiting in the morning.
• Nervousness and irritability.
• Fatigue is another symptom of intracranial pressure (raised). In some patients, even after a full night's sleep, a feeling of fatigue remains.
• Decreased potency and libido.
• Meteorological dependence.
• The appearance of characteristic dark circles under the eyes.
• Swelling of the face and eyelids. Such a symptom of intracranial pressure (high), as a rule, is an impetus to immediately seek help from a doctor.
• Pain in the region of the cervical vertebra and directly spinal cord.
• Violation of the reaction of the eyes.

It is important to understand that elevated ICP is not a disease. Its presence is considered natural for a healthy person. The so-called situational signs of intracranial pressure in adults can appear during the day as a response to the action of various factors (for example, a change in the usual position of the body).

Features of ICP in children

Intracranial pressure (raised) in young patients can occur due to a variety of reasons. This and rare hereditary diseases, and neuroinfections, and complex craniocerebral injuries.

What causes increased intracranial pressure in infants? Most often, this kind of pathology is diagnosed due to prolonged labor, difficult pregnancy, or a fairly common entanglement of the umbilical cord. As a result, the baby develops hypoxia. In the early stages, his brain tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen on its own by increasing the production of fluid, which consistently fills the skull and constantly presses on the brain. After the baby is born, there is a restoration of functions. Intracranial pressure in infants eventually returns to normal.

Sometimes doctors record a persistent increase in ICP with hydrocephalus. In total, two forms of this pathology are distinguished: congenital and acquired. The first option occurs due to hemorrhages, various anomalies at the genetic level. In the first weeks of life, it is already possible to diagnose a congenital form of pathology, and its timely treatment allows the baby to keep up with their peers in development.

How to recognize increased intracranial pressure in children? Symptoms

The primary signs indicating the development of this problem have their own characteristics. Initially, in infants, the fontanel increases. As a result, the head becomes very large. Right now, parents should seek the advice of a doctor, because all the signs indicate a pathology such as increased intracranial pressure. In children, symptoms may also include:

• Increased irritability, tearfulness for no apparent reason.
• Disproportionate head size (excessively protruding forehead).
• Graefe's symptom. Between the iris and directly the upper eyelid of the eye, you can see a strip of white sclera. Such a symptom of intracranial pressure (increased) is the main confirmation of the presence of pathology.
• Slow development. The child later begins to crawl, stand up and hold his head.
• No weight gain.
• Lethargy and drowsiness.

Signs of increased intracranial pressure in older children:

• Vomiting and nausea.
• Apathy, tearfulness, drowsiness.
• Discomfort behind the eyes.
• Regular headaches.
• Fatigue and constant weakness.

Diagnostics

A problem such as increased intracranial pressure should not be ignored. The symptoms of this condition, which are described in this article, should alert everyone and become an impetus for going to the doctor. Only after a complete examination can a specialist recommend a truly effective treatment. The main methods for confirming the diagnosis are as follows:

• EEG of the brain. This procedure, unfortunately, cannot confirm 100% pathology, since a normal EEG is now extremely rare.
• CT. This method allows the specialist to consider all the changes that occur in the brain.
• MRI using a contrast agent.

Diagnosis of elevated ICP in young patients is somewhat different. If the child has signs of intracranial pressure (increased), you should immediately report them to the doctor. A specialist after a series of tests will be able to confirm or refute the diagnosis. If a large fontanel is open in a newborn, it is prescribed ultrasound procedure brain. Otherwise, this method is called neurosonography. It is also necessary to show the child to an ophthalmologist.

Measurement of ICP

To check the pressure, a special catheter is inserted into one of the ventricles of the brain, since it is in this area that the cerebrospinal fluid is localized. This method is considered one of the most reliable.

How to measure intracranial pressure? Also, doctors often use the so-called subdural screw. This device is inserted into a small burr hole in the skull itself. During the procedure, a transducer is placed in the area between the skull and the dural tissue itself. As a rule, the hair on the head is shaved off before the patients, and skin treated with an antiseptic. Then a small incision is made and the skin is pulled back so that the skull is visible. At the final stage, the sensor is introduced. This kind of procedure is not always performed and only for medical reasons.

The decision on which option to choose, how to measure intracranial pressure, is made by the doctor himself, depending on many factors.

Conservative therapy

The choice of a specific method of treatment directly depends on the reasons that provoked the development of such an unpleasant condition. ICP in itself is not a pathology. The above signs of intracranial pressure in adults and children (increased) are the result of any problems of a physiological nature associated with blood circulation and directly with the brain.

If the diagnosis is made correctly and in a timely manner, the specialist selects medications suitable for a particular patient, procedures that allow not only to normalize ICP, but also to eliminate the underlying disease that provoked it.

The following treatment options are currently the most common:

• Prescribing diuretics.
• Usage sedatives. Diet therapy.
• invasive procedures.
• Manual therapy.
• The use of "vascular" drugs.
• The use of medicinal herbs.
• Gymnastics.

Some of these options are designed solely for symptomatic relief of the patient's condition. Others allow you to completely eliminate the root cause of the pathology. As for the issue of medicines, Diakarb tablets have recently been the most popular. With intracranial pressure (increased), this remedy is prescribed not only for adult patients, but also for children. The drug belongs to the category of diuretics.

The mechanism of action of absolutely all diuretics is based on the removal of excess fluid by the kidneys, which, in turn, lowers the pressure of the CSF. Of course, before starting treatment, you should consult your doctor. In general, the remedy "Diakarb" with intracranial pressure (increased) is prescribed to absolutely all patients, since it has no side effects.

In addition, the drug "Glycerol" has a high dehydrating effect. Once in the bloodstream, the molecules of this agent “bind” and then remove fluid from the body, as a result, intracranial and intraocular pressure drops.

Also, to reduce the manifestations of pathology, the following treatment can be prescribed:

• Nootropics such as Piracetam, Phenotropil, Pantogam.
• Vitamins.
• Homeopathic remedies.
• "Vascular" drugs responsible for improving cerebral circulation (Means "Sermion", "Cavinton", "Cinnarizine").

If the cause of the increased ICP is infectious lesion brain, tumors or other serious problems, patients are most often recommended nootropic drugs and special vitamin complexes. Of course, malignant neoplasms require removal. If a neuroinfection has been diagnosed, antibacterial drugs are recommended a wide range actions.

How to relieve intracranial pressure (increased) in young patients? Treatment in this case should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor after complete diagnostic examination. It usually includes the following options:

• To eliminate the existing consequences of a difficult pregnancy, the child should be breastfed, and the sleep regimen recommended by pediatricians should be observed.
• A small patient is prescribed drugs to normalize the work of the central nervous system, improve blood circulation, diuretics and vitamins.
• Physiotherapy treatments are considered an excellent option.
• If anatomical abnormalities are the cause of high ICP, surgery is performed.

It is important to note that it is almost impossible to completely eliminate the disease that provoked the appearance of this kind of pathology through acupuncture or massage. All these methods can alleviate the adult, but not eliminate the root cause, if any.

Surgical treatment

According to experts, the most severe is the condition provoked by hydrocephalus. This is a pathology at the congenital level, explained by a violation of the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. If the fluid accumulates in excess volumes, it begins to exert increased pressure on the meninges. Absence timely treatment can lead to the development of quite dangerous complications, including impaired mental abilities.

Fortunately, today specialists can diagnose this pathology in a timely and competent manner. As a rule, parents learn about such a problem after the first examination of the child by a neurologist. Note that the tablets in this case are ineffective against intracranial pressure. Hydrocephalus cannot be cured solely by conservative therapy. The drugs have an exclusively symptomatic effect, somewhat relieving headaches.

To restore the normal functioning of the brain and treat hydrocephalus, as a rule, a fairly serious operation is required. Doctors carry out drainage of the ventricles, as a result of which excess CSF is brought out.

As noted above, if the cause of high ICP lies in the tumor, the neoplasm must also be removed surgically.

How to relieve intracranial pressure? ethnoscience

Our grandmothers' recipes should not be used as the first line of treatment. Help traditional medicine it is better to resort as an addition to the main therapy.

1. Lemon juice with honey. You will need to take one lemon, cut it in half and squeeze the juice. Then, 100 ml of the most ordinary boiled water and a couple of tablespoons of honey must be added to the liquid. The resulting mixture should be gently mixed and drunk. Such a course of treatment should be no more than 20 days. Then there is a break for 10 days.
2. Plantain. Symptoms of intracranial pressure in an adult can be somewhat reduced if you use the following recipe. You will need to take three tablespoons of dried plantain (sold in a pharmacy), pour a mixture of 500 ml of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. It is recommended to take 50 g of decoction three times a day.
3. Pollen with honey. This remedy It is intended for external use, or rather, for head massage. It is necessary to take two parts of pollen and one part of honey. Then you should mix the ingredients in one bowl and put it in a dark place for three days. After this time, it is necessary to rub the mixture in small portions into the region of the bridge of the nose, the back of the head and the back of the neck. The procedure is recommended to be repeated daily for one month.

Thanks to all of the above recipes, many patients manage to normalize intracranial pressure. Alternative treatment, we note again, should not be used as the main method of combating pathology. This type of therapy should only be used as an adjunct.

Forecast

Properly selected therapy can not only reduce the symptoms of pathology just a few days after the start of treatment, but also improve the patient's condition.

Note that one can hope for positive results only if it was possible to identify and eliminate the main cause, which provoked the development of this problem. It can be a neoplasm, including a malignant one, as well as an improper outflow of fluid.

With regard to young patients, by the age of six months, in most of them, the condition returns to normal. If from intracranial pressure tablets and others therapeutic measures do not help, the diagnosis sounds a little different. Minimal brain dysfunction is the new name for the pathology. However, parents should not worry ahead of time. Such a diagnosis indicates that the child has a weak central nervous system; at critical moments, ICP may increase.

In order not to face this problem, doctors strongly recommend passing preventive treatment during the autumn and spring periods. It is also important to limit the load, parents should normalize the situation in the family, try to avoid conflict situations. The child should be systematically observed by a neurologist.

You should not be afraid that ICP will cause mental retardation. Pathology does not reduce the intelligence of the child, and in some cases even contributes to the development of features such as excellent memory.

Effects

Despite the fact that ICP is quite rarely fatal, the pathology should not be left unattended. Lack of timely treatment can cause paralysis or cerebral hemorrhage.

Conclusion

In this article, we told in as much detail as possible what constitutes such a pathology as increased intracranial pressure, the symptoms and treatment of which are closely related. Timely appeal for help from a doctor and strict adherence to all his recommendations allow you to forget about such a problem forever. Be healthy!

), intracerebral fluid and the volume of blood circulating through cerebral vessels.

Currently, in everyday life, the term "intracranial pressure" means an increase or decrease pressure in the cranium, accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms and a deterioration in the quality of life.

Due to the widespread use of various visual diagnostic methods (ultrasound, tomography, etc.), the diagnosis of "increased intracranial pressure" is made very often, although in most cases this is unreasonable. After all, an increase or decrease in intracranial pressure is not an independent separate disease (with the exception of a very rare idiopathic intracranial hypertension), and the syndrome accompanying various pathologies capable of changing the volume of the structures of the cranium. Therefore, it is simply impossible to consider "intracranial pressure" as a disease on its own and treat it exclusively.

It is necessary to know that intracranial pressure can rise or fall to critical values ​​at which clinical symptoms develop, in a limited number of cases and only in the presence of other very serious diseases that are a causal factor in such changes. Therefore, we will consider the essence of the concept of "intracranial pressure" both as a diagnosis available in domestic medical practice and as a pathophysiological term denoting a strictly defined syndrome.

Intracranial pressure - physiological definition, norm and essence of the concept

Normal intracranial pressure at rest in humans different ages fluctuates within the following limits:

• Adolescents over 15 years old and adults - 3 - 15 mm Hg. st;
• Children aged 1 - 15 years - 3 - 7 mm Hg. Art.;
• Newborns and infants up to one year - 1.5 - 6 mm Hg. Art.

In the presence of chronic long-term diseases, causing an increase intracranial pressure(for example, brain tumors, etc.), its values ​​​​can reach 70 mm Hg. Art. But if the pathology develops slowly, then intracranial pressure rises gradually, and the person tolerates this condition quite normally, without making any complaints for a long time. This is due to the inclusion of compensatory mechanisms that ensure normal health and the functioning of the central nervous system. Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in such cases begin to appear only when the compensation mechanisms cease to cope with the ever-increasing intracranial pressure.

The measurement and principle of formation of intracranial pressure are quite different from those for arterial blood pressure. The fact is that each structure present in the cranium (brain, fluid and blood) occupies a certain volume of the cranial cavity, which is determined by its size and therefore cannot be changed. Due to the fact that the volume of the cranial cavity cannot be changed (increased or reduced), the ratio of the sizes of each of the three structures of the cranium is constant. Moreover, a change in the volume of any structure is necessarily reflected in the other two, since they must still fit in the limited and unchanged space of the cranial cavity. For example, if the volume of the brain changes, then there is a compensatory change in the amount of blood and cerebral fluid, since they need to fit in the limited space of the cranial cavity. This mechanism of redistribution of volumes within the cranial cavity is called the Monro-Kelly concept.

Thus, if there is an increase in the volume of one of the structures of the cranial cavity, then the other two must decrease, since their total total volume must remain unchanged. Among the three structures of the cranial cavity, the brain itself has the least ability to compress and reduce the occupied volume. That is why the cerebral fluid (CSF) and blood are structures that have sufficient buffer properties to ensure the maintenance of a constant and unchanged total volume of tissues in the cranial cavity. This means that when the volume of the brain changes (for example, when a hematoma or other pathological processes), blood and cerebrospinal fluid must "shrink" to fit in the limited space of the cranium. However, if a person develops any disease or condition in which the amount of cerebrospinal fluid or blood circulating through the vessels of the brain increases, then the brain tissues cannot “shrink” so that everything fits in the cranial cavity, as a result of which there is an increase in intracranial pressure.

The problem of measuring intracranial pressure is very difficult, since there are a very small number of indirect parameters, the values ​​of which can be used to judge the pressure in the cranium with any certainty. Currently, according to the Monroe-Kelly concept, it is believed that there is a relationship and interdependence between the value of intracranial pressure and mean arterial pressure, as well as cerebral perfusion pressure, which reflects the intensity and speed of cerebral blood flow. This means that the value of intracranial pressure can be indirectly judged by the value of cerebral perfusion pressure and mean arterial pressure.

Determining the diagnosis of "intracranial pressure"

So, increased or decreased intracranial pressure (ICP) is not an independent disease, but is only a syndrome that accompanies some different pathologies. That is, intracranial pressure always appears as a result of some disease and therefore is not an independent pathology. In fact, ICP is a sign of an independent disease that provoked an increase in pressure in the cranial cavity.

Basically, any organic lesions of the brain (tumors, hematomas, injuries, etc.) and cerebral circulation disorders sooner or later lead to an increase or decrease in intracranial pressure, that is, to the development of the syndrome in question. Since intracranial pressure is a syndrome that accompanies various pathologies, it can develop in a person of any age and gender.

Given the fact that intracranial pressure is a syndrome, it should be treated only in combination with the treatment of the underlying disease that caused the pressure change in the cranial cavity. Independent isolated treatment exclusively intracranial pressure is not only useless, but also harmful, because it masks the symptoms and allows the underlying disease to progress, develop and damage brain structures.

Unfortunately, at present, in practical healthcare, the term "intracranial pressure" is often used precisely as an independent diagnosis and is treated with the most in a variety of ways. Moreover, the diagnosis of "increased intracranial pressure" is carried out on the basis of test data, examinations and patient complaints, which are not signs of ICP either individually or in combination. That is, in practice, there is a situation of overdiagnosis, namely, the frequent detection of intracranial hypertension that does not actually exist in a person. Indeed, in reality, intracranial hypertension develops very rarely and with a limited number of serious diseases.

Most often, the diagnosis of intracranial hypertension (synonyms are also used to indicate the condition - hypertension syndrome, hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome, etc.) is made on the basis of ultrasound data (NSG - neurosonography), tomography, EchoEG (echoencephalography), EEG (electroencephalography), REG (rheoencephalography) and other similar studies, as well as non-specific symptoms that a person has (for example, headache, etc.).

In the course of these studies, the expansion of the ventricles of the brain and the interhemispheric fissure is often detected, as well as other dubious signs that are interpreted as undoubted evidence of the presence of increased intracranial pressure. In fact, the results of these studies are not signs of increased intracranial pressure, therefore, such a diagnosis cannot be made on their basis.

The only studies on the basis of which increased intracranial pressure can be suspected are the assessment of the condition of the fundus and the measurement of cerebrospinal fluid pressure during the production of a lumbar puncture. If the doctor detects swelling of the optic disc during the study of the fundus, then this is an indirect sign of increased intracranial pressure, and in this case it is necessary to conduct additional examinations in order to identify the underlying disease that led to ICP. In addition, if a high pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid is detected during a lumbar puncture, then this is also an indirect sign of ICP, in the presence of which additional examinations should also be carried out to identify the disease that caused the increase in intracranial pressure.

Thus, if a person is diagnosed with increased intracranial pressure not on the basis of data from an examination of the fundus or a lumbar puncture, then it is false. In this case, it is not necessary to treat the identified "pathology", but you should contact another specialist who can understand the complaints and conduct a high-quality diagnosis.

It must also be remembered that intracranial pressure is not an independent disease, but only one of the syndromes characteristic of the development of various severe pathologies brain, such as, for example, hydrocephalus, tumors, traumatic brain injury, encephalitis, meningitis, cerebral hemorrhage, etc. Therefore, its diagnosis must be treated carefully and carefully, since the actual presence of ICP also means the presence of a severe CNS disease, which must be treated, as a rule, in a hospital setting.

Diagnosis of "increased intracranial pressure" (doctor's opinion) - video

Increased intracranial pressure - pathogenesis

With any mechanism, an increase in intracranial pressure occurs gradually, since at the initial stages compensatory mechanisms keeping pressure within normal limits. During this period, a person may feel completely normal and not feel any unpleasant symptoms. After some time, the compensatory mechanisms are exhausted and there is a sharp jump in intracranial pressure with the development of severe clinical manifestations requiring hospitalization and treatment in a hospital.

In the pathogenesis of increased intracranial pressure, the leading role is played by blood flow, as well as the amount of blood in the vessels of the brain. For example, the extension of the sleepy or vertebral arteries leads to increased blood filling of the brain vessels, which provokes an increase in intracranial pressure. If a similar condition often observed, then intracranial pressure is constantly elevated. Narrowing of the carotid and vertebral arteries, on the contrary, reduces blood flow to the brain, which leads to a decrease in intracranial pressure.

Thus, it is clear that vasodilators, including antihypertensives, increase intracranial pressure. BUT vasoconstrictor drugs, on the contrary, reduce the value of intracranial pressure. Given this factor, it must be remembered that increased intracranial pressure cannot be reduced with antihypertensive agents and treated with drugs that improve and increase cerebral blood flow (for example, Cinnarizine, Vinpocetine, Cavinton, etc.).

In addition, intracranial pressure depends on the amount of cerebrospinal fluid produced by the structures of the nervous system. The amount of cerebrospinal fluid can also be affected by the osmotic pressure of the blood. For example, with intravenous administration of hypertonic solutions (their concentrations are higher than physiological) glucose, fructose, sodium chloride and others, there is a sharp increase osmotic pressure blood, as a result of which, to reduce it, the release of fluid from tissues, including brain structures, begins. In this case, part of the cerebrospinal fluid goes into the systemic circulation in order to dilute the blood and reduce osmotic pressure, as a result of which intracranial pressure decreases rapidly and sharply.

Accordingly, the introduction of hypotonic solutions with concentrations below physiological into a vein leads to the opposite effect - a sharp increase in intracranial pressure, since excess fluid is displaced from the blood to normalize osmotic pressure in tissues, including the brain.

Reduced intracranial pressure - pathogenesis

Usually, intracranial hypotension develops slowly, as a result of which a person does not feel any pathological symptoms for a long time. But in rare cases at sharp decline the intensity of cerebral circulation, the rapid formation of intracranial hypotension is possible, which is a critical condition, called brain collapse and requires immediate hospitalization in a hospital for its relief.

How to measure (check) intracranial pressure?

Unfortunately, despite the advances in science and technology, at present, intracranial pressure can only be measured insertion of a special needle into the ventricles of the brain or spinal canal. Further, cerebrospinal fluid begins to flow through the needle and the simplest manometer is connected to it, which is a glass tube with applied millimeter divisions. The cerebrospinal fluid is allowed to flow freely, as a result of which it occupies a certain volume of the manometer. After that, intracranial pressure is determined in the simplest way - the number of millimeters on the pressure gauge, which is occupied by the leaked cerebrospinal fluid, is fixed. The final result is expressed in millimeters of water column or mercury column.

This method is called intraventricular pressure monitoring and is the gold standard for ICP measurements. Naturally, the method can only be used in a hospital setting and only if indicated, since it is invasive and potentially dangerous. The main danger of the method lies in the risk infectious complications, which may occur due to the introduction of pathogenic microbes into the cranial cavity. In addition, a needle inserted into the ventricles of the brain may be blocked due to tissue compression or blockage by a blood clot.

The second way to measure intracranial pressure is called direct and is monitoring using sensors. The essence of the method is the introduction of a special chip into the ventricles of the brain, which transmits data on mechanical pressure on it to an external measuring device. Accordingly, the direct method of measuring ICP can also be used only in a hospital setting.

Both methods are invasive, complex and dangerous, and therefore they are used only when life is threatened against the background of severe brain damage, such as contusion, edema, craniocerebral injury, etc. Thus, it is obvious that methods that would allow accurate to measure intracranial pressure in a polyclinic does not exist. After all, it is not advisable to do a puncture of the brain or spinal canal to measure intracranial pressure in the absence of a threat to life, since the complications of manipulation can be very serious.

However, at present there is a survey method that allows you to judge the level of intracranial pressure by indirect signs - this is fundus examination. If, during the examination of the fundus, edematous visual discs and dilated tortuous vessels are detected, then this is an indirect sign of increased intracranial pressure. In all other cases, the absence of edema of the visual discs and blood filling of the fundus vessels indicates normal level intracranial pressure. That is, the only more or less reliable indirect sign of increased intracranial pressure is the characteristic changes in the fundus. Accordingly, in a wide practice in a polyclinic, only an examination of the fundus of the eye can be used to assess intracranial pressure - a method that, by indirect signs, can detect increased ICP.

Diagnostics

All other imaging methods (ultrasound of the brain, electroencephalography, tomography, echoencephalography, etc.), which are very widely used at the present time, do not even make it possible to indirectly judge the magnitude of intracranial pressure. The fact is that all the signs revealed during these examinations, mistakenly taken for symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (expansion of the ventricles of the brain and the interhemispheric fissure, etc.), in fact, are not. These methods are necessary to clarify and identify the cause that provoked an increase in intracranial pressure.

That is, in the conditions of a polyclinic, in order to detect increased intracranial pressure, it is necessary to perform the following examination algorithm: firstly, an examination of the fundus is performed. If there are no edematous visual discs and tortuous, dilated veins in the fundus, then intracranial pressure is normal. In this case, any additional research to assess ICP is not necessary. If edematous visual discs and tortuous, dilated veins are found in the fundus, then this is a sign of increased intracranial pressure. In this case, additional examinations should be performed to identify the cause of the increase in ICP.

Methods such as ultrasound of the brain (neurosonography) and tomography will determine the cause of increased intracranial pressure, but will not say anything about the magnitude of ICP. Echoencephalography, rheoencephalography and electroencephalography do not provide any data on the magnitude of intracranial pressure, since they are intended to diagnose completely different conditions. So, echoencephalography is a method that is intended exclusively for detecting large formations in the brain, for example, tumors, hematomas, abscesses, etc. Echoencephalography is not suitable for any other diagnostic purposes, and therefore it is inappropriate and useless to use it to detect ICP.

Rheoencephalography and electroencephalography are also methods that in no way can help in assessing intracranial pressure, since they are designed to identify various pathological foci in brain structures, such as, for example, epileptic readiness, etc.

Thus, it is obvious that for the diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure, it is necessary to conduct an examination of the fundus. It is not necessary to conduct all other examinations (NSG, EchoEG, EEG, REG, etc.), which are often and widely prescribed at present, since they do not provide any indirect data to judge ICP. The currently incredibly common brain ultrasound in infants does not allow us to judge the level of ICP, so the results of this study should be viewed with a certain degree of skepticism.

If intracranial pressure increases gradually, then the person suffers from constant headache, nausea with vomiting, persistent hiccups, drowsiness and visual impairment.

Signs of increased intracranial pressure in children older than one year and adolescents

• The child is exhausted, gets tired quickly, constantly wants to sleep;
• Apathy and indifference to activities that previously aroused a keen interest in the child;
• Irritability and tearfulness;
• Visual impairment (constriction of the pupils, strabismus, double vision, "flies" before the eyes, inability to focus the gaze);
• Exhausting headache, especially severe in the second half of the night and in the morning;
• Bluish circles under the eyes. If you stretch the skin in circles, then dilated capillaries will become visible;
• Nausea and vomiting not associated with food intake, especially frequent in the morning at the height of the headache;
• Twitching of arms, legs and face;
• Pain behind the eyes of a pressing nature.

Signs of increased intracranial pressure in infants under one year old

• Headache;
• Nausea, vomiting and regurgitation, not associated with food intake and occurring mainly in the morning;
• Strabismus;
• Congestive discs of the optic nerves in the fundus;
• Violation of consciousness (the child is inhibited, as if stunned);
• Bulging and tension of the fontanel with divergence of the sutures of the bones of the skull.

Treatment

General principles for the treatment of intracranial pressure

That is, the main treatment for ICP is the treatment of the disease that caused the increase in intracranial pressure. In this case, ICP itself is not intentionally reduced, since this will happen spontaneously when the causative factor is eliminated. However, if intracranial pressure is increased to critical values, when there is a threat of herniation of the brain and the development of complications, then it is urgently reduced with the help of various medications. It must be remembered that a direct decrease in ICP is emergency measure, which is used only in case of a threat to life in a hospital.

At high risk increased intracranial pressure, for example, against the background of chronic diseases that can cause ICP (congestive heart failure, consequences of stroke and traumatic brain injury, etc.), the following recommendations should be observed:

• Limit salt intake;
• Minimize the amount of liquid consumed (drink no more than 1.5 liters per day);
• Periodically take diuretics (Diakarb, Furosemide or Triampur);
• Do not visit baths and saunas, do not be in the heat;
• Wash with warm or cool water;
• Sleep in a well-ventilated area;
• Sleep with a raised head end (for example, on a high pillow);
• Do not engage in sports activities associated with endurance training and weight lifting (running, somersaults, weightlifting, etc.);
• Avoid going down the elevator;
• Avoid air travel
• Periodically massage the collar zone;
• Include foods containing potassium in the diet (dried apricots, potatoes, fruits, etc.);
• Treat existing hypertension, epilepsy and psychomotor agitation;
• Avoid the use of vasodilators.

The common practice of treating increased intracranial pressure with diuretics is incorrect, since their isolated use without eliminating the cause of ICP will not give the expected results, but, on the contrary, may aggravate the situation due to dehydration

Intracranial pressure in a child (in infants, in older children): causes, symptoms and signs, diagnostic methods. Intracranial hypertension due to hydrocephalus: diagnosis, treatment - video

Folk methods of treatment

So, the following folk recipes are most effective with increased intracranial pressure:

• Pour a tablespoon of leaves and branches of mulberry with a glass of boiling water, leave for one hour, then strain and take the infusion in a glass three times a day;
• Pour a teaspoon of poplar buds with a glass of water and heat for 15 minutes in a water bath. Ready broth strain and drink during the day;
• Mix an equal amount of camphor and alcohol, and apply as a compress to the head at night;
• Mix in equal volumes hawthorn, motherwort, valerian and mint. Boil one teaspoon of the mixture of herbs with boiling water and drink instead of tea during the day.

Folk recipes for intracranial pressure - video

- This is an indicator that reflects the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid on the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid or cerebrospinal fluid is a fluid that is formed by plexuses small vessels brain and circulates in special cavities of the brain - the ventricles.

Liquor performs important features: removes metabolic products of brain cells, has an antimicrobial effect and protects the brain from damage during mild shocks. At healthy people up to 1 liter of CSF is formed per day, however, their intracranial pressure remains within the normal range.

The reason for this is the constant absorption of CSF into the venous sinuses - a type of cerebral vessels. Thus, intracranial pressure depends on the amount of CSF produced, the conditions of its circulation through the ventricles of the brain, and the degree of its absorption into the venous sinuses of the brain.

Increased ICP

Or intracranial hypertension, which can be caused by the accumulation of excess cerebrospinal fluid, which begins to put pressure on the brain. This disease is not independent, it is a sign of other diseases. Increased intracranial pressure is serious breach in the work of the body. Very often, it results in reduced blood flow to the brain and, as a result, its oxygen supply deteriorates. All these undesirable phenomena can lead to problems in the work of not only the brain, but also the spinal cord.

Intracranial pressure in children

Normally, the baby immediately functions the mechanisms of regulation of cerebral circulation, the parameters of which do not depend on fluctuations in the level of blood pressure. Increased intracranial pressure in children (intracranial hypertension) may occur in case of prematurity, abnormalities during pregnancy or childbirth.

In this case, the intensity of cerebral circulation is completely dependent on blood pressure, which can lead to a gradual increase in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain cavities. The accumulation of excess volume of CSF leads to an increase in its pressure on the brain tissue.

How to measure intracranial pressure?

Measurement of intracranial pressure is carried out exclusively in medical institutions, because. it is measured by immersing a special pressure gauge inside one of the body fluids being studied: into the cerebrospinal fluid at the level of the spinal cord or directly into the ventricles of the brain. In modern medical practice, several methods of measuring intracranial pressure are used:

Causes of increased intracranial pressure

Normally, the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid in a person lying on his side is 100-180 mm of water column. The danger of intracranial hypertension lies in the likelihood of compression of the brain substance in a limited space of the skull, which leads to diffuse brain ischemia, as well as penetration - displacement of the brain tissue from one cranial region to another due to a focal increase in intracranial pressure.

Increased intracranial pressure can be caused by the following factors:

• congenital pathology;
• hydrocephalus;
• hematomas, hemorrhages;
• drug or alcohol poisoning;
• violation of the outflow of venous blood from the cranial cavity;
• hypoxia (oxygen starvation);
• cervical spine;
• overweight;
• increased blood clotting;

With an increase in the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid up to 30 mm Hg, cerebral circulation may stop and the bioelectric activity of the brain may cease. Normally, the intracranial pressure ranges from 7.5 to 15 millimeters of mercury.

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure:

• headache;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• persistent hiccups;
• drowsiness;
• oppression of consciousness;
• double vision;
• transient episodes of visual impairment;
• the occurrence of congestive optic discs.

In cases of a pronounced increase in intracranial pressure, systolic blood pressure increases, bradycardia appears (50-60 beats / min).

Other signs of increased intracranial pressure:

• nervous state;
• the presence of bruises under the eyes;
• rapid onset of fatigue;
• increased sweating;
• increased photosensitivity or photophobia;
• visual impairment;
• decrease in potency.

Detailed descriptions of symptoms

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in children

Attentive parents will always notice the symptoms of high intracranial pressure in a newborn child. First of all, frequent regurgitation with a fountain, regardless of food intake and violation of the movement of the eyeballs, should alert. External signs also include an increased distance between the sutures of the fontanel and its prolonged unnatural swelling. Normally, the fontanel should be slightly sunken.

In addition, it is important to regularly measure the circumference of the baby's head, which should correspond to the age norm. A convex forehead, a disproportionately large head and a noticeable increase in its growth rate are signs of incipient hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure. Along with the listed symptoms, the child's restless behavior speaks of the problem. A suffering baby screams often and on one note, and a monotonous cry can last for several hours. With an untimely diagnosis, the child lags behind in development - later than peers, he begins to hold his head, crawl and sit.

In older children, increased intracranial pressure can be indicated by fatigue, severe headache, aggravated at night and in the morning, strabismus, nausea, vomiting, and convulsions. Among other things, the child may complain of flashes before the eyes, double vision and pain behind the orbits. The child's irritability, drowsiness, apathy, tearfulness and refusal to play are noted.

Treatment of increased intracranial pressure

In the treatment of intracranial hypertension caused by an increase in the volume of blood in the cranial cavity, or cerebrospinal fluid, it is unacceptable to prescribe agents that reduce the volume of tissue fluid. Used to reduce blood volume in the cranial cavity breathing exercises, massage, hyperoxygenation. With the ineffectiveness of these measures, artificial ventilation of the lungs is used in the mode of moderate hyperventilation. Reliable methods for normalizing intracranial pressure in seriously ill patients are artificial lung ventilation (ALV) and therapeutic and protective anesthesia with sodium oxybutyrate or thiopental.

The use of mechanical ventilation against the background of therapeutic anesthesia makes it possible to control the level of CSF pressure. The most important condition normalization of pressure in the cranial cavity is a timely, correctly performed non-specific therapy aimed at normalizing breathing, cardiac activity, kidney function, etc. The main criterion for the effectiveness of the treatment of increased intracranial pressure is the general condition of the patient, and not just the value of CSF pressure.

Medical treatment

Speaking of drug treatment, I immediately want to highlight the presence of several options:

Diuretics or diuretics

However, here opinions are divided - to accept them or not. It is believed that the accumulation of fluid is directly related to the diuretic, because in this way it is easy to remove it. They usually take furosemide or diacarb. But, on the other hand, such drugs are not able to influence the excretion of cerebrospinal fluid.

Plasma substitute solutions

With the help of albumin (20%), the pressure between the brain tissue and, accordingly, the plasma is easily reduced. The drug affects the improvement of microcirculation and is used when there is a risk of cerebral edema.

Vasoactive drugs

Magnesium sulfate expands peripheral vessels. It is responsible for providing a diuretic effect and improving microcirculation. And when using Venotonic Glivenol, there is an improvement in venous outflow, due to which the likelihood of cerebral edema is significantly reduced.

Glucocorticosteroids

The use of Prednisolone or Dexamethasone can only be indicated for critical cases with existing risk swelling of the brain.

Alternative methods of treatment of increased intracranial pressure

In folk medicine, there are many recipes for the preparation of decoctions, infusions and tinctures for the treatment of increased ICP. These tools can improve cerebral circulation, reduce the amount of intracranial fluid (liquor) and relieve headaches:

Treatment of increased intracranial pressure in children

In the treatment of intracranial pressure, it is important to eliminate the cause of its violation. As a symptomatic treatment to help relieve the manifestations of increased pressure in the brain, diuretics (for example, diacarb) are used. If the reason lies in the immaturity of the nervous system, then the child is prescribed vitamin preparations, physical procedures, a pool to strengthen the muscular frame, improve blood circulation throughout the body, and walk in the fresh air.

If the cause of a poor outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the intercerebral cavities and tissues lies in a tumor or hematoma, which is an obstacle, then surgery for their removal. The operation is also resorted to if excessive production of cerebrospinal fluid is detected. In this situation, shunting is performed, due to which excess fluid from the brain is drained through the tube into the abdominal cavity or into the cavity of the heart.

Prevention of high intracranial pressure

To prevent an increase in intracranial pressure in acute brain injuries, you need:

How to reduce intracranial pressure

Except folk remedies in the fight against intracranial pressure can help and medical preparations However, before taking them, you should consult a doctor. We are talking about diuretics (Furosemide or Veroshpiron), as well as drugs that relieve spasms and pain (Tempalgin, No-shpa, Spazmolgon).

Be sure to make adjustments to your diet. From the menu it is necessary to exclude fried and salty dishes, do not eat fatty and spicy food. Eat more potassium-rich foods - potatoes, dried apricots, citrus fruits. And, of course, we must not forget about vitamins, in in large numbers contained in freshly squeezed juices, vegetables, herbs and fruits.

You can normalize the pressure with the help of running, but you should not expect a quick result. Changes for the better will be noticeable in six months. Intracranial pressure will decrease, especially if running is accompanied by proper breathing, in which you need to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

Physical exercise also helps to reduce intracranial pressure. You can take a small round stick, put it behind your head and “stroke” the neck muscles with movements from top to bottom. This exercise can be done for 15 minutes 3-4 times a day.

In addition, you can clasp your head with your hands with spread fingers so that your thumbs are on points on the back of the skull. These points must be kneaded in circular smooth movements for 15-20 minutes a couple of times a day.

If possible, you can contact a specialist who will massage the cervical-collar zone. The course should be 10 sessions of such massage.

All of these methods can help alleviate the condition of a patient with intracranial hypertension, affecting the main symptoms of this pathology. How it is possible to reduce intracranial pressure radically - specialists who examine the patient know about this, establish the cause of the development of the ICH syndrome and determine possible ways to eliminate it.

Questions and answers on the topic "Intracranial pressure"

Question:Hello, I ask you, give advice, our baby is 2.5 months old, after an ultrasound it turned out that she had intracranial pressure, symptoms: crying and poor sleep. A neurologist in our polyclinic prescribed a treatment: triampur, tanakan, glycine. We asked a pediatrician friend, it turned out that they drink tanakan only after 40 years. We don't know what to do.

Answer: Intracranial pressure can indeed be confirmed by ultrasound, but the clinic still serves as the basis for prescribing treatment, i.e. what the doctor sees during the examination! In addition to various specific neurological symptoms that you don't know, there are cerebral symptoms such as regurgitation, restlessness, poor night's sleep, etc. Most often, this requires little drug therapy(20% glycerin or others after medical examination). Triampur is indeed a diuretic and indirectly affects intracranial pressure, but tanakan is not a drug for the treatment of pressure, especially at this age. And even more so, glycine is a good drug, but it is absorbed only from the oral mucosa, i.e. it is necessary to dissolve the drug in the mouth for a long time, which is unacceptable for a child under 4-5 years old.

Question:Is it possible to do gymnastics with internal cranial pressure for a 9-year-old child?

Answer: An increase in intracranial pressure is important in a 9-year-old child if we are dealing with a secondary manifestation of the disease, for example, with intracerebral volumetric processes, with arachnoiditis, with operated hydrocephalus. If your child develops normally, and has only one complaint of headache in the clinical picture of the disease, then this is most likely not related to intracranial pressure, as it is erroneously considered. To confirm or refute the diagnosis, it is necessary to know the clinical manifestations: morning headache, vomiting, dizziness, changes in reflexes, changes in the fundus, etc. If the diagnosis of intracranial pressure is not associated with the above changes, then the diagnosis is most likely erroneous. Engage in bold physical education or exercise therapy.

Question:I am 48 years old. Increased pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid since childhood, but rather from birth. Any use of liquid leads to an even greater increase in the pressure of the craniocerebral fluid. The only thing that does not lead to an increase in pressure is infusion urological collection before eating. I have been in this mode of non-drinking for more than a year, which gives a slight decrease in the pressure of the craniocerebral fluid. A CT scan of the brain revealed nothing.

Answer: Unfortunately, without a personal examination and familiarization with the results of the examination, it is impossible in this situation to give any specific recommendations for treatment. You need to undergo a thorough examination not only by a neurologist (EEG, Doppler of cerebral vessels, if necessary, NMR or MRI - these research methods are more informative than CT), but also by a nephrologist in order to check the state of the urinary function of the kidneys.

Question:Hello! I am 14 years old and my ophthalmologist noticed vasodilation at the bottom of the eyeball and said that it could be intracranial pressure, I went to a neurologist and took an x-ray and it was confirmed, but I wanted to know if it is possible to exercise with intracranial pressure?

Answer: It all depends on the degree of increase in intracranial pressure. To give the exact answer to this question, the neurologist who examined you can only.

Question:Hello! my daughter is 11 years old, she periodically feels sick, she is weak and often has a headache, almost every day, for this reason she eats very poorly, the child was born in ICP, was treated from birth, she recently took glycine, but until she takes paracetamol, the headache does not passes, but I give it to her very rarely. The girl herself is very active, she can skip all day without getting tired, but she has no appetite. Nausea and headaches torment me straight from the bed in the morning. Tell me what could cause such a condition, pressure, nerves, or maybe helminths? 2 years ago, she had lamblia, they underwent a course of treatment, all the same, nausea is rare, but it was, and she didn’t eat better. And one more detail: if she does have an appetite, then late in the evening, and she also loves sweets very much, she can eat sweets, baked goods all day, but there is no food.

Answer: This is similar to increased intracranial pressure, the symptoms are characteristic. This condition must be treated together with your neurologist. The disease can cause simultaneous weakness, nausea and headaches.

Question:My child has had intracranial pressure since birth, now 5 months old, manifestations: goggles, pressure does not decrease, on ultrasound at 5 months. a cyst appeared. What are the reasons for its appearance? Will the pressure drop?

Answer: In this case, it is necessary to consult a neurologist and conduct comprehensive examination, including infections (cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis). In the event that the cyst is of organic origin, this pathology will not go away on its own without treatment. Only after receiving the results of the examination, the specialist will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.

This article describes the symptoms and treatment of intracranial pressure, signs of increased ICP in children and adults, how to identify and complications of increased ICP.

To date, almost every person has encountered such phenomena as pain in the head, occipital region, dizziness, visual impairment. Moreover, the above symptoms are signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP), changes in which can have a number of complications. Let us consider in more detail the nature of ICP, its signs, causes of occurrence and ways of its treatment.

What is intracranial pressure?

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a fluid that circulates in the ventricles of the brain. It “washes” our brain and carries useful microelements through the brain cells.

Intracranial pressure is the force with which CSF acts on the soft parts of the brain. Difficulty in the movement of CSF occurs due to the appearance of problems in the venous outflow. As a result, cerebrospinal fluid begins to accumulate and exert excessive pressure on the brain, which manifests itself in the form of headaches and other symptoms. Normal is ICP in the range of 10-17 mm Hg.

Symptoms of intracranial pressure

The main symptom of increased intracranial pressure is pain in the head, which is present at the moment of awakening a person and does not go away during the day. This pain appears due to irritation of the vascular receptors inside the skull and the lining of the brain.

The following signs may be:

• Constant fatigue, lethargy.
• A state of nervous tension and irritation: to light, noise, other people.
• There may be bouts of nausea along with vomiting.
• Deterioration of vision and hearing, memory.
• Jumps in blood pressure.
• Increased sweating.

There are many reasons for an increase in ICP, leading to the onset of symptoms of the disease. In children and adults, they can differ significantly.

Symptoms of ICP in children can appear from birth and lead to difficult consequences. Therefore, knowing the main signs of this disease, it is possible to diagnose increased ICP on early stages and provide the necessary assistance.

Elevated ICP can lead to two cases:

1. gradual onset of symptoms.
2. Spontaneous onset of symptoms, in which consciousness is disturbed and falling into a coma. Death occurs in 92% of cases.

What doctors say about hypertension

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Emelyanov G.V.:

I have been treating hypertension for many years. According to statistics, in 89% of cases, hypertension ends with a heart attack or stroke and the death of a person. Approximately two-thirds of patients now die within the first 5 years of disease progression.

The next fact is that it is possible and necessary to bring down the pressure, but this does not cure the disease itself. The only medicine that is officially recommended by the Ministry of Health for the treatment of hypertension and is also used by cardiologists in their work is this. The drug acts on the cause of the disease, making it possible to completely get rid of hypertension. In addition, within the framework of the federal program, every resident of the Russian Federation can receive it IS FREE.

Hydrocephalus in children and its symptoms

Hydrocephalus is an excessive accumulation of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) in the skull, accompanied by an increase in intracranial pressure.

The main symptom of hydrocephalus in children is a pronounced increase in head circumference before the age of 2 years.

Other symptoms:

• Violation of the proportion of the forehead in relation to the rest of the head.
• Severely bulging eyeballs.
• Inflammation of the brain tissue.
• Visual impairment, development of optic nerve atrophy.

Video

Important! According to Decree No. 56742, until June 17, every diabetic can receive a unique medicine! Blood sugar is permanently reduced to 4.7 mmol/L. Save yourself and your loved ones from diabetes!

Signs of increased ICP in adults

In adults, the symptoms of increased pressure appear gradually. Initially, there is a headache that presses and there is a feeling of fullness.

It manifests itself during awakening, its cause is:

• The horizontal position of the body.
• Tension of the head when coughing, sneezing.
• Nausea, bouts of vomiting, noises.
• Reception of analgesics does not remove these signs.

Second a regular feature increase in IRR can be autonomic disorders which are characterized by:

• Changes in blood pressure, pulse.
• Intestinal disorders (diarrhea, constipation).
• Increased salivation, increased sweating, especially of the upper and lower extremities.
• Dizziness.
• Short temper.
• Apathy.
• Anxiety.
• Weakness, lethargy.
• Heart pain and pain in the abdomen.

The third sign that accompanies an increase in ICP, but extremely rare, may be a stroke-like condition that threatens the life of the patient.

Signs of such cases may be:

• Falling into a coma.
• Dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system.
• Weakened limbs.
• Speech disorder.
• Continuous vomiting.
• Incontinence / retention of urine and feces.
• Violation of the cardiovascular system.

Methods for determining and measuring ICP

If blood pressure can be measured using a tonometer on its own, then in the case of intracranial pressure, this procedure is more complicated.

To determine the approximate indicators of ICP use:

• Computed tomography.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is not recommended for women in the first trimester of pregnancy, people with decompensated heart failure, suffering from claustrophobia. It is absolutely contraindicated to do MRI for people with magnetic metal implants, pacemakers, in the presence of metal fragments in the body.
• Electroencephalography.
• Ultrasound of the brain (children under 1 year).
• Analysis of the fundus by an ophthalmologist.

The above methods for determining the level of ICP do not give a 100% accurate result. Therefore, in order to timely detection problems, it is recommended to measure intracranial pressure in the Department of Neurology with the help of medical staff in the following ways:

1. subdural method. Used in emergencies. An opening is made in the skull and a subdural screw is inserted to determine the level of pressure.
2. epidural method. Insertion of an epidural sensor into the burr hole of the skull. The disadvantage of this method is the inability to pump out excess accumulated cerebrospinal fluid.
3. using an intraventricular catheter. A safe method for measuring ICP levels. A catheter inserted into the lateral ventricle of the brain makes this method the most effective and allows you to pump out excess cerebrospinal fluid.

Causes of increased intracranial pressure

High pressure inside the skull occurs as a result of the following conditions:

• Inflammation or swelling of the brain, leading to an increase in its volume.
• Increased amount of CSF (cerebral fluid) due to hydrocephalus.
• Infectious diseases.
• Prolonged use of glucocorticosteroid and psychotropic drugs.
• Pathologies (anomalies).
• Stroke.
• Hypoxia.
• Vasospasm.
• An increase in the volume of blood in the vessels.
• Migraine.
• Overweight.
• Disturbed metabolism.
• Too much vitamin A.

Elevated ICP can be considered as a separate disease or as a cause that accompanies other ailments, namely:

Infants suffer from increased ICP due to complications during a woman's pregnancy or birth trauma.

A sharply increased intracranial pressure that has not received the necessary emergency assistance.

Also, characteristic complications increases in ICP can be:

• epileptic seizures.
• Mental disorders.
• Stroke.
• Visual impairment, blindness.
• Pinching of the cerebellum, leading to respiratory failure, muscle weakness.

Ways to lower intracranial pressure

To get rid of the symptoms of increased pressure inside the skull, you can use many techniques. But only the attending physician can determine the desired treatment regimen for the disease.

1. Non-surgical treatment- the appointment and use of diuretic drugs and the use of food with low content salt (salt retains fluid in the body).
2. Surgical therapy. In cases where medication is ineffective, the resulting excess CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) is pumped out using an inserted catheter or a structural neoplasm is removed.
3. Ethnoscience. Reception of renal diuretic teas, which contribute to the removal of excess fluid from the body; also herbal medicine based on soothing and dilating blood vessels herbal preparations, they relieve spasms of blood vessels and expand the distance between the walls of blood vessels, improve blood circulation in the brain.
4. Alternative Methods- this is the appointment of massages, special therapeutic exercises. Such techniques are effective in case of obstructed venous outflow, which provokes an increase in pressure, it appears due to spasms of the muscles of the neck or cervical vertebrae, which compress the veins, preventing normal blood flow.

An increase in intracranial pressure may be situational, single in nature in cases physical activity or due to changing weather conditions (meteorological dependence).

Ways and methods of treatment of increased intracranial pressure

In order to choose a method of therapy for increased ICP, it is necessary to establish the root cause of its occurrence. It does not matter which method of treatment is chosen, the main thing is under the supervision of a doctor. It is desirable to combine the treatment of the underlying disease, the difference of which is increased ICP, and the treatment of symptoms of increased ICP. Complex treatment gives greater efficiency than separate sequential treatment.

Can be assigned and applied the following ways treatment:

• Diuretic drugs - Mannitol - contribute to the removal of excess fluid from the body.
• Drugs aimed at eliminating venous stasis of blood.
• Caffeinated drugs that also have a venotonic effect.
• Potassium-containing drugs that increase brain nutrition by improving electrolyte balance and tissue metabolism.
• Corticosteroid hormones that neutralize cerebral edema after a traumatic brain injury or stroke.
• Myotropic antihypertensive drugs have a vasodilating, antispasmodic effect.
• Antibacterial agents to avoid various neuroinfections.
• Neurodynamic drugs are used to improve brain function, promote the activation of mental processes and the memory mechanism.
• Sedative drugs calm the central nervous system, have a vasodilating effect, improve the quality of sleep, brain function.
• Complexes of vitamins improve metabolism, strengthen the body.
• The surgical method is used through the introduction into cranium catheter to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid.
• Physiotherapy: electrophoresis using substances of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor group is used to improve brain nutrition; massage, exercise therapy, etc.
• Alternative medicine.

Therapy for increased intracranial pressure occurs in stages, depending on from the level of neglect of the disease:

• І stage- the cause of the disease is eliminated. If the cause is a tumor, a hematoma, then the patient undergoes an operation to remove it. If the reason is an excess of CSF, then a bypass operation is performed, the essence of which is to create an additional channel for the removal of cerebrospinal fluid
• II stage- influence on the level of ICP with the help of medications. Use osmotic diuretics to control cerebral fluid levels hormonal agents, nootropic drugs mixed action.
• III stage- Surgical procedures. Insertion of a catheter for pumping out excess cerebral fluid (liquor).
• IV stage- Compliance with the diet. Limiting the amount of salt consumed, observing the prescribed diet.
• Stage V- manual therapy.

In rare cases, after treatment, ICP drops to a critical level. In such cases, you need to know the accompanying symptoms:

• Weakness, lethargy.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea.

What should I know if I have symptoms of elevated ICP?

How to relieve the symptoms of increased ICP at home?

1. Running helps bring blood pressure back to normal. It is important to even out breathing while running. Gymnastics, swimming, outdoor walks and other increased activity will also help.
2. Excess weight is the cause of increased ICP, which must be eliminated. Gotta start leading healthy lifestyle life, to instill in yourself the habits of proper nutrition. Eat less fried, fatty and salty foods and more fruits and vegetables.

1. Before going to bed, it is recommended to put a thin pillow under your head that will not press down on your head. neck veins and impair blood flow to the brain.
2. Massages of the head and collar area help to improve well-being and blood circulation.
3. Need to quit bad habits. Nicotine has a vasoconstrictive effect, which impairs blood flow.

Treatment of increased ICP with folk remedies

Regarding alternative medicine, there is also enough ways to normalize intracranial pressure.

1. Proven methods: combining honey and lemon juice, decoctions of wild rose, plantain, motherwort.
2. Tea to improve the functioning of the kidneys, adrenal glands, which have a diuretic effect.
3. Peppermint oil: 10 drops diluted in 1 glass of water and taken 2 times a day after meals. Maintains blood vessels in good shape, maintains elasticity.
4. Mustard foot baths. Stimulates blood circulation. Soak your feet for 10-20 minutes in a solution of powdered mustard with warm water.
5. Self-massage of the head with a mixture of honey and flower pollen. The mixture prepared in advance should be infused in a dark place, then applied with massage movements to the back of the head and wrapped with a towel.
6. Alcohol tinctures. Mix tinctures of eucalyptus, valerian, hawthorn, motherwort and mint. Eucalyptus and mint are taken in 0.25 parts, everything else in one part. Add cloves and place in a dark container. Take this mixture 3 times a day, 25 drops. This method helps to improve the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid and has an antispasmodic effect on the veins.

It is worth remembering that only a doctor can determine necessary treatment. Traditional medicine techniques will help remove symptoms for a while until you go to the doctor, who will select the necessary drug.

Myths and truth about increased intracranial pressure

If one or more symptoms of increased intracranial pressure are detected, an urgent need to contact a doctor who will diagnose the patient's condition and refer him for further treatment. Different stages of the disease require different approaches, ranging from taking medications to surgery.