Hydrocephalus means you have an excess of cerebrospinal fluid built up. Cerebrospinal fluid is gelatin type fluid that cushions and protects your brain from banging around. But too much of the stuff can cause brain damage, and even death.
Normally, cerebrospinal spinal fluid is in a continuous process of production, flow and absorption. Whenever the flow is obstructed or for some reason you’re not absorbing it, you could end up with hydrocephalus.
The most common cause of hydrocephalus is obstruction of brain fluid’s flow. Cerebrospinal fluid flows through interconnecting channels of ventricles that feed the spaces surrounding your brain. A problem within this delivery system that impedes fluid flow can cause an excess.
Some of the health conditions for causing hydrocephalus are:
Excess brain fluid is sometimes present at birth, presenting with the telltale symptom of an unusually large head or noticeable bulging of spot on top of head.
Other symptoms may include:
- seizures
- irritability
- sleepiness
- headaches
- leg weakness
- nausea, vomiting
- personality change
- eyes fixed downward
- sluggishness, lack of energy
- gait, coordination, balance problems
- thinking problems, memory loss, confusion
- blurry vision, double vision, eye focusing issues
- bladder dysfunction ~ frequent urination, incontinence
Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a unique type of excess cerebrospinal fluid which mainly affects the elderly. And because some of its symptoms mimic Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, an incorrect diagnosis may occur.
Hydrocephalus is usually treated with surgery, the most common is insertion a shunt. Shunt treatment is essentially an artificial drainage system that keeps your excess fluid flowing. A hydrocephalus shunt ensures cerebrospinal fluid flows in the right direction in a health promoting amount for the rest of your natural life.
How well you do after your shunt is in place depends largely on how much or where your brain has been damaged. Generally, the sooner a hydrocephalus shunt starts removing your excess brain fluid, the less brain damage you’ll sustain.