Treatment involves surgical insertion of a shunt to drain excess fluid. Water on the Brain Elderly TreatmentДЄt this time, there arenвЂ™t any effective nonsurgical treatments for hydrocephalus. But in severe cases, hydrocephalus can become life-threatening. With less severe cases that receive appropriate treatment, people often have few complications. In short, we know that damage to the brain can lead to hydrocephalus.ДЄnother thing we know is that if hydrocephalus isnвЂ™t promptly treated, it can lead to lasting physical and intellectual disabilities. But there are several known risk factors, including head injury, stroke, central nervous system infections, and tumors or lesions which affect the brain or spine. The cause of hydrocephalus is often a mystery. But combined together with the other symptoms, these are the most common identifying factors for hydrocephalus in seniors. The third and final telltale symptom is urinary incontinence, which is also often misdiagnosed because it has so many related comorbidities. As a result, hydrocephalus in elderly folks is often misdiagnosed as dementia. That might include memory loss, a gradual loss in reasoning skills, or even something as simple as responding a little slower during the conversation. Unfortunately, both can increase the risk of suffering a fall.ДЄpart from trouble with walking, most instances also involve mental effects, which can be either subtle or severe. The first major symptom is instability or gait disturbance, and roughly nine in ten instances of hydrocephalus in the elderly will involve one of the two. Each age group also has a unique set of symptoms, and for the elderly, it mostly comes down to the big three. Many infants are born with it, but itвЂ™s actually seniors who are at the highest risk of developing it in adulthood. Hydrocephalus in Elderly IndividualsДЄnyone can experience hydrocephalous. Since untreated cases can lead to irreversible brain damage, itвЂ™s not a bad idea to be familiar with a few of the telltale signs and symptoms. The Hydrocephalus Association has estimated that around 700,000 seniors have this condition - and many of them are unaware of it. Sometimes called вЂњwater on the brainвЂќ, hydrocephalus is the result of that fluid buildup. But when thereвЂ™s a fluid buildup, the resulting pressure can cause a variety of severe problems. When everything is working, this fluid provides nutrients and removes waste. Similar to blood flowing through our veins, cerebrospinal fluid flows through the spinal column and brain.

Water on the brain