Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is probably an underdiagnosed cause of headache, even though its estimated to affect only about one in 50,000 individuals.
The symptoms may include headache, neck stiffness and arm pain.
The condition is usually caused by the leakage of spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A combination of an underlying weakness of the spinal meninges and a more or less trivial traumatic event, such as riding a roller coaster or jet skiing, is often found to cause spontaneous intracranial hypotension.
Computerized tomography scanning (CT) is the most reliable method for finding out exactly where the leak is.
Treatment is usually done with surgery to patch the leak. The Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery is one of the leading medical centers where this procedure is done. The procedure is safe and generally successful.
