Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus, or fluid on the brain, causes slightly different symptoms depending on the type of hydrocephalus and the age of the person affected.
Babies born with hydrocephalus (congenital) often have distinctive physical features.
These can include:
Congenital hydrocephalus can also cause:
Congenital hydrocephalus is sometimes picked up before a baby is born during an Ultrasound scan .
However, it's usually diagnosed soon after birthduring the newborn physical examination . The problem may be suspected if your baby's head is larger than normal.
Hydrocephalus that develops in adults or children (acquired) can cause headaches .
The headache may be worse when you wake upin the morning because the fluid in your brain doesn't drain so well while you're lying down and may have built up overnight.
Sitting up for a while may improve your headache. However, as the condition progresses, the headaches may become continuous.
Other symptoms of acquired hydrocephalus include:
Call your GP or NHS 111 if you think you or your child may have symptoms of hydrocephalus.
The symptoms ofnormal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) tend to affect older people and usually develop slowly, over the course of many months or years.
NPH has three sets of distinctive symptoms. It affects:
See your GP if you have any of the symptoms described below.
The first noticeable symptom of NPH is a change in how you walk (your gait). You may find it increasingly difficult to take the first step when you want to start walking.
Some people have described it as feeling as though they're frozen to the spot. You may also shuffle rather than take proper steps.
As the condition progresses, you may become increasingly unsteady on your feet and be more likely to fall , particularly when turning.
The change in the way you walk is often followed by bouts of urinary incontinence, which may include symptoms such as:
The normal thinking process also starts to slow down. This can take the form of:
These symptoms may indicate that you have mild dementia . They should start to improve when NPH is treated.
.
Find out about hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain), including information about symptoms, causes, types, diagnosis, treatment and complications.
Read about the symptoms of hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain). The symptoms can differ depending on the type of hydrocephalus and the age of the person affected.
Read about the causes of hydrocephalus. The causes are poorly understood, but the different types of hydrocephalus (congenital acquired and normal pressure) have different causes.
Find out how hydrocephalus is diagnosed. Brain scans play an important role in diagnosing the condition and are used to examine the brain in greater detail.
Find out how hydrocephalus is treated. Surgery is usually needed to reduce the pressure on the brain.
Read about the possible complications that can occur after having surgery to treat hydrocephalus.