What do I need to know about increased intracranial pressure (ICP) ?

Increased intracranial pressure is an abnormality that affects a category of people. When not quickly diagnosed, it can cause several irreversible damages. In this article, you will find the causes, symptoms and treatment of this anomaly.

Causes of increased intracranial pressure

There are several reasons for increased intracranial pressure. Visit Our site for more details. It can be an expansive reason. That is, it can be caused by hydrocephalus, a tumour, or an intracerebral haematoma. It can also be a lesional reason. This means that the venous drainage system may be blocked by venous hypertension or thrombophlebitis. In addition, vitamin A deficiency can also lead to increased ICP.

In addition, several pathologies can also cause an increase in ICP. These include chronic renal failure, sleep apnoea syndrome and anaemia due to martial deficiency.

Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure

There are several symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Firstly, there are headaches that start in the morning and then resume late at night. It also manifests itself through vomiting or nausea whenever the head position is changed. In addition, it manifests itself in cognitive and visual disturbances. The victim may develop double vision. In addition, it manifests itself in strong irritability, dizziness, tinnitus and character changes.

However, the symptoms differ in children. In the small child, it is manifested by an increase in the volume of the cranium. This is because the sutures between the different bones in the skull are lengthened.

Treatment of increased intracranial pressure

Before any treatment can be given, a diagnosis must first be made to determine the cause, so that the appropriate measures can be taken. The results of the various examinations determine the type of treatment to be given. When the symptoms are quickly established, an external ventricular bypass will be done as a matter of urgency in order to reduce the pressure exerted on the brain structures. This pressure could cause irreversible damage. However, when the case is not serious, depending on the cause, the tumour can be removed.