Pay attention to the "head" first! What to do if intracranial pressure increases? These methods can help you reduce "pressure"

Increased intracranial pressure is a common clinical pathological syndrome in neurosurgery. Today, experts from the Department of Neurosurgery at Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine provide popular science knowledge on the following aspects:

1. Definition and Formation

Increased intracranial pressure refers to a situation where the volume of the contents of the cranial cavity increases due to various diseases such as craniocerebral injury, brain tumor, cerebral hemorrhage, hydrocephalus and intracranial inflammation, which in turn causes the intracranial pressure to remain above 2.0kPa (i.e. 200mmH2O). The cranial cavity contains three kinds of contents: brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid and blood. These contents keep a certain pressure inside the skull, which is called intracranial pressure . When the volume of the cranial cavity is fixed (about 1400-1500ml) and the contents increase, it will lead to increased intracranial pressure.

2. Causes of increased intracranial pressure

There are many causes of increased intracranial pressure, including:

① Craniocerebral injury : such as cerebral contusion, intracranial hematoma, surgical trauma, etc.

② Intracranial space-occupying lesions : including various cancers, abscesses, hematomas, granulomas, cysts, brain parasites, etc., which are the most common causes of increased intracranial pressure.

③Cerebrovascular diseases : such as cerebral infarction, hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, etc.

④Intracranial inflammation : such as encephalitis, meningitis, etc.

⑤ Brain hypoxia : caused by respiratory obstruction, suffocation, cardiac arrest, etc. caused by various diseases.

⑥ Poisoning and metabolic disorders : such as hepatic encephalopathy, acidosis, lead poisoning, etc.

⑦ Pseudotumor cerebri syndrome : also known as benign intracranial hypertension.

⑧ Congenital abnormalities : such as developmental malformation of the aqueduct and skull base indentation, which can cause obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid reflux, leading to secondary hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure.

3. Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure

Typical symptoms of increased intracranial pressure include:

① Headache : The location is not fixed, mostly in the frontal and temporal areas, and it progressively worsens with the increase of intracranial pressure.

② Vomiting : It may be projectile vomiting.

③Optic disc edema : manifested as optic disc congestion, blurred edges, and disappearance of the fovea. Long-term increased intracranial pressure can cause optic nerve atrophy and blindness.

④ Accompanying symptoms include impaired consciousness (such as drowsiness, slow reaction, and in severe cases, stupor and coma), changes in vital signs (such as increased blood pressure, slow pulse, slow and deep breathing), tinnitus, dizziness, muscle aches, numbness and weakness of the limbs, etc.

4. Treatment of increased intracranial pressure

For the treatment of increased intracranial pressure, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the patient's specific condition and cause, and take the following measures:

① General treatment : Maintaining a good lifestyle, including avoiding excessive fatigue, avoiding strenuous exercise, and getting enough sleep, can help alleviate symptoms and promote recovery.

②Drug treatment : Commonly used drugs include dehydrating agents (such as mannitol), steroids (such as dexamethasone tablets) and analgesics (such as acetaminophen tablets), etc. These drugs can reduce intracranial pressure and reduce brain edema and inflammation.

③ Traditional Chinese medicine treatment : Acupuncture, massage and other traditional Chinese medicine treatment methods can play a certain auxiliary role.

④Surgical treatment : For severe intracranial hypertension, surgical treatment may be required, such as craniotomy, ventricular puncture and drainage, meningotomy, etc., to reduce intracranial pressure. Surgical treatment has a high risk and needs to be performed under the guidance of a professional doctor.

5. Notes

Increased intracranial pressure is a serious condition that requires prompt medical attention and treatment as directed by the doctor. During treatment, patients should pay close attention to changes in their condition and report any worsening or new symptoms to their doctor promptly. Maintaining a good lifestyle and mindset is essential to promote recovery.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Li Yinchen, Department of Neurosurgery, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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(Edited by Wx)