Mystery Diagnosis

Getting to the right medical diagnosis often involves working through the problem as the symptoms evolve.  Some conditions, such as Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, can present with symptoms that can be misdiagnosed as other diseases and conditions.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition which normally occurs in adults 55-years and older. NPH is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) causing the ventricles of the brain to enlarge, in turn, stretching the nerve tissue of the brain causing a triad of symptoms.

It’s often difficult to tell the difference because the symptoms of NPH are in many ways similar to those of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. However, the feeling of feet glued to the floor, or difficulty walking is the first symptom to appear in NPH. And it’s different from, for example, Parkinson’s tremors. In Alzheimer’s, memory loss and confusion tend to be early symptoms, whereas in NPH these appear later. Fortunately, once NPH is confirmed, chances are it can be treated.

(Source: Life NPH: http://www.lifenph.com/)

Key Point 1

Getting to the right diagnosis often involves working through a problem as the symptoms evolve. Some conditions such as normal pressure hydrocephalus can present with symptoms that can be misdiagnosed as other diseases. 

Key Point 2

Normal pressure hydrocephalus, when diagnosed correctly, can be treated with surgery. Now the earlier the treatment, the more likely the symptoms are going to reverse and we get very good results.

Webisode 

Full Episode

Conduct an off-site search for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus from MedlinePlus.  These up-to-date search results are based on search terms specific to Second Opinion Key Points.

• Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Resources

There are a very large number of organizations and websites dedicated to Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. This is only a partial list.

Alzheimer's Association:  The Alzheimer's Association is the leading, global voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care and support, and the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research.

Hydrocephalus Association:  The Hydrocephalus Association provides support, education and advocacy for people whose lives have been touched by hydrocephalus and the professionals who work with them.

Life NPH: Hope for People with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus:  One quarter million Americans with some of the same symptoms as dementia, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's may actually have NPH.

National Hydrocephalus Foundation  (NHF):  NHF provides knowledge, education, support, and assists in finding medical care. We’re here when you need someone to share with.