Table of Contents
What are the symptoms of hydrocephalus in adults?
Symptoms of Adult-onset Hydrocephalus
- Headaches.
- Nausea.
- Difficulty focusing the eyes.
- Unsteady walk or gait.
- Leg weakness.
- Sudden falls.
- Irritability.
- Drowsiness.
How common is hydrocephalus in elderly?
Normal pressure hydrocephalus primarily affects people in their 60s and 70s. The Hydrocephalus Association estimates that nearly 700,000 adults have normal pressure hydrocephalus, but it is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.
How do you diagnose hydrocephalus in adults?
A diagnosis is made by using brain imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and through clinical neurological evaluation during a doctor visit. More tests are often performed in adults in order to diagnose the condition.
What will happen if hydrocephalus is not treated?
Without treatment, hydrocephalus results in compromised mental functioning, visual disturbances, walking difficulty, incontinence, and reduced conscious state.
How do you rule out hydrocephalus?
CT scans and MRI scans are often used in combination to confirm a diagnosis of hydrocephalus present from birth (congenital) and hydrocephalus that develops later in children and adults (acquired). These scan the brain in detail.
Does hydrocephalus affect walking?
The complications of NPH include: Difficulty walking. Trouble thinking. Loss of bladder control.
Is hydrocephalus worse at night?
Hydrocephalus that develops in children or adults The headache may be worse when you wake up in the morning. This is because the fluid in your brain does not drain as well while you’re lying down and may have built up overnight.
What are the symptoms of hydrocephalus in older adults?
Decline in memory, concentration and other thinking skills that may affect job performance Among adults 60 years of age and older, the more common signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus are: Difficulty walking, often described as a shuffling gait or the feeling of the feet being stuck
What are the long term effects of normal pressure hydrocephalus?
About normal pressure hydrocephalus. As brain ventricles enlarge with the excess CSF, they can disrupt and damage nearby brain tissue, leading to difficulty walking, problems with thinking and reasoning, and loss of bladder control. Normal pressure hydrocephalus can sometimes be treated with surgical insertion of a shunt, a long,…
What are the treatment options for hydrocephalus?
Surgical treatment for hydrocephalus can restore and maintain normal cerebrospinal fluid levels in the brain. Different therapies are often required to manage symptoms or problems resulting from hydrocephalus. The signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus vary somewhat by age of onset.
What is hydrocephalus in young and middle-aged adults?
Vastly different from hydrocephalus diagnosed in infancy and early childhood, or adult-onset normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) found in older adults (typically age 60 and older), hydrocephalus in young and middle-aged adults is a unique and often confusing condition.