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Suggest Treatment For Benign Intra Cranial Hypertension
Question: Hello. My twenty something daughter has been diagnosed and is being treated for intercranial hypertension of the optic nerves. She has did the spinal tap, a MRi and CT. It is a pseudo tumor and the current plan is a summer of diuretics, no birth control pills or any other medicine that could cause fluid retention, while also trying to improve her weight situation. Her eyesight is getting better but the current doctor says if this plan does not work, then the next step may be surgery. This plan does not sit well with my daughter and so she has asked me to investigate possible exercises or alternative remedies. What suggestions could you make that I could share with my daughter. Note: She is a working graduate student pursuing a degree in a very competitive, stress-filled environment.
Brief Answer:
weight reduction, releiving stress is required.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care magic.
I am Dr. Dadapeer K an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
It seems from the history that your daughter is diagnosed with benign intra cranial hypertension also called as pseudo tumor cerebri.
The exact cause for this condition is not known and it causes raised intra cranial pressure resulting in pressure over the optic nerve causing papilledema. The long standing edema can cause optic atrophy, hence the main treatment is to decrease the intra cranial pressure.
Hence the treatment options are use of diuretics as told by your doctor to decrease the intracranial pressure.
The other things that are required are weight reduction, avoiding drugs like steroids, vitamin A, Nalidixic acid, oral contraceptives..., evaluation to rule out endocrine diseases like cushibgs syndrome, hypothyroidism...
Hence as of now she can use the drugs as prescribed and concentrate on weight reduction, yoga and meditation to relieve stress.
Weight reduction is known to produce very good as results as I have noticed in my patients.
However she requires regular eye examination by ophthalmologist by tests like fundoscopy and perimetry to look for the progression of edema of optic nerve.
Surgery is the last resort in the form of shunt operations to decrease intracranial pressure.
Most of the cases do respond to medical treatment but she requires regular follow up and need to follow other things like weight reduction, relieving stress....
Hope the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
weight reduction, releiving stress is required.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care magic.
I am Dr. Dadapeer K an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
It seems from the history that your daughter is diagnosed with benign intra cranial hypertension also called as pseudo tumor cerebri.
The exact cause for this condition is not known and it causes raised intra cranial pressure resulting in pressure over the optic nerve causing papilledema. The long standing edema can cause optic atrophy, hence the main treatment is to decrease the intra cranial pressure.
Hence the treatment options are use of diuretics as told by your doctor to decrease the intracranial pressure.
The other things that are required are weight reduction, avoiding drugs like steroids, vitamin A, Nalidixic acid, oral contraceptives..., evaluation to rule out endocrine diseases like cushibgs syndrome, hypothyroidism...
Hence as of now she can use the drugs as prescribed and concentrate on weight reduction, yoga and meditation to relieve stress.
Weight reduction is known to produce very good as results as I have noticed in my patients.
However she requires regular eye examination by ophthalmologist by tests like fundoscopy and perimetry to look for the progression of edema of optic nerve.
Surgery is the last resort in the form of shunt operations to decrease intracranial pressure.
Most of the cases do respond to medical treatment but she requires regular follow up and need to follow other things like weight reduction, relieving stress....
Hope the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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