Intracranial hypertension
Overview
Intracranial hypertension (IH) is a build-up of pressure around the brain.
Symptoms
Symptoms of intracranial hypertension (IH) can include: a constant throbbing headache which may be worse in the morning, or when coughing or straining; it may improve when standing uptemporary loss of vision – your vision may become dark or "greyed out" for a few seconds at a time; this can be triggered by coughing, sneezing or bending downfeeling and being sickfeeling sleepyfeeling irritablefinding it difficult or painful to look at bright lights (photophobia)hearing a pulsing rhythmic noise in your ears (pulsatile tinnitus)problems with co-ordination and balancemental confusionloss of feeling or weakness
Causes
While the cause, or causes, of idiopathic IH is unknown, a number of risk factors have been linked to the condition. It's a rare condition that mainly affects women in their 20s and 30s. It most often happens in women who have gained weight. The reason for this is unclear. Other factors that have been linked with idiopathic IH include: some hormone conditions such ashypoparathyroidismorAddison's diseasetaking certain medicines including someantibiotics,lithium(for mental health problems) and medicines for thyroid problemshigh levels of vitamin Aa lack of red blood cells (iron deficiency anaemia)lupus– a problem with the immune system
Treatment
Treatments for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IH) can include: losing weightif you're overweight. This can often help to reduce your symptoms and may sometimes relieve them altogetherstopping any medicine that may be causing your symptomsmedicine to remove excess fluid from the body (diuretics)medicine to reduce the production of cerebrospinal fluid in your braina short course ofsteroid medicineto relieve headaches and reduce the risk of vision loss