Today I want to talk about hydrocephalus, what it is, symptoms and some treatment ideas.
Hydro means water and cephalus in Greek means head. So this is a condition where there is too much fluid in the head.
We need some fluids in the head because it serves to cushion the brain. It also plays a role in delivering nutrients to the brain and removing waste.
Too much fluid is not good because it puts pressure on the brain and damages it. With children, since the skull is still developing, you could see an enlargement of the head, this is a symptom. With adults this will not happen because our skull is developed and will not move.
This can be a life-threatening condition. With children, signs to look out for would be a lump in one place on the top of the head, vomiting, excessive sleepiness, seizures, and irritability. Of course, attention and development problems are also signs.
In adults, symptoms can include severe headache, trouble staying awake, balance problems, bladder control problems, vision problems, memory loss, and seizures.
The smartest people in the medical field have been trying to figure out what is causing this excess fluid so they can prevent it. Scientists know that this problem may be related to bleeding events in the developing brain of babies, but the reasons why it is connected are not clear.
A study published in the journal “Science Daily” may have found the answer. Hydrocephalus can be triggered by abnormal levels of LPA, a blood-borne lipid that can enter the brain in high concentrations during bleeding events.
This LPA is involved in blood clotting and you can well see the connection. It blocks the exit of the liquid and therefore hydrocephalus is created. In the study, the scientists injected mice with high levels of LPA and noted that it created hydrocephalus.
The good news is that if a baby is at risk for this bleeding, medication can be given to prevent this medical condition.
Other causes of this condition could be inflammation, from an injury. Reducing this inflammation can help. Another cause could be an overproduction of fluids.
The most common treatment is surgery. When it comes to alternative medicine, there are cases where the use of something called silica has been successful. Silica is a homeopathic medicine used to treat many health problems. Another idea would be to remove toxins from the body that might be helpful, such as sarsaparilla and beets.
