How Ayurveda can help in treating Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)?

Our brain and spinal cord are surrounded by a fluid called cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid accumulates in the cavities of the brain called ventricles. The main function of this fluid is to protect the brain and the spinal cord, supply nutrients and eliminate the waste products.

AS PER AYURVEDA ASPECT

In Ayurveda, this condition is not properly described but as per its symptoms, it is caused due to the vitiation of vata and Kapha dosha which leads to the impairment in the functioning of brain due to the accumulation of ama in the body channels.

AS PER MODERN ASPECT

Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid which causes an enlargement in the ventricles of the brain. In most of the cases, the main cause of this blockage is unclear.

Prevalence

NPH is mostly seen in older people (between the age group of 60 and 70) and it is estimated that up to 7 lakhs of Americans have this disease but only 20% receive an appropriate diagnosis. Many times this disease has been misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease.

HOW NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS CAN BE CAUSED?

The main cause of primary normal pressure hydrocephalus is idiopathic (unknown cause). Hence it is referred to as primary normal pressure hydrocephalus.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS?

These are considered as the hallmarks of normal pressure hydrocephalus which include:

• Difficulty in walking and when it is compared to a person’s walk, the body is bent forward, legs held wide apart and feet moving as if these are glued to the deck.
• Loss of interest and difficulty in completing daily routine work, forgetfulness and short term memory loss.
• Low concentration power and changes in behavior and personality with declining in thought processes.
• Sudden fall

Urinary Symptoms

• Loss of bladder strength to control which also appears later in the disease
• Unable to hold stools (but it is a less common symptom)
• Frequent micturition
• The urgency to pass urine
• Urinary incontinence

Increase Of Pressure In The Brain

• Nausea
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Difficulty in focusing on an object

Other Common Symptoms Are

• Unintentional weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Excessive sleep
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Muscle spasm

HOW NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS CAN BE DIAGNOSED?

• Generally, the diagnosis is done based on a careful review of symptoms and medical history and through physical examination.
• Gait analysis: It is a timed walk test in which the patient is watched as if he or she can walk about 10 meters.
• Imaging tests: MRI or CT scan is done to verify the enlarged ventricles in the brain.
• Neuropsychological test: It is done to assess if there is a loss of brain function.
• Cerebrospinal fluid tests: There is a spinal tap and external lumbar drainage.
• Cisternography is another test which is done to check the CSF absorption.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS?

It Includes:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Dementia
• Obstructive hydrocephalus
• Normal aging of the brain

NATURAL TREATMENT OF NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS

Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a long term condition. The treatment involves the measures that enable the patient to cope with the problems like difficulty in walking, mood and behavior changes, poor concentration, speech problems, etc.

Planet Ayurveda offers a wonder treatment to manage the symptoms related to normal pressure hydrocephalus. These herbal formulations are 100% pure, naturally free from preservatives, chemicals, colors, yeast, fillers, etc. All these formulations strictly follow the principles of Ayurveda and are formulated by our MD Ayurveda experts.

Natural Remedies For Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

1. Kanchnaar Guggul

This wonder and effective herbal formulation is formulated with pure and natural herbs like Kanchnaar, Shunthi, Amalaki, bibhitaki, guggul, etc. This combination of herbs removes the blockage and detoxifies the body. It also removes the toxins, clears the channels and maintains the body functions.

Dosage: 1 to 2 tablets twice or thrice daily after meals.

2. Brahmi Capsules

This wonderful product is formulated from the pure and standardized extract of Brahmi which is considered to be the most effective herb in treating conditions related to the brain. These capsules increase blood circulation in the brain and show effective results in improving short and long term memory loss. According to Ayurveda it has been used since ancient times to deal with brain-related problems and effectively rejuvenates the brain cells.

Dosage: 1 or 2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals.

3. Mahashankh Vati

Mahashankh vati is a classical Ayurvedic formulation that has been used in Ayurveda since many ages for the treatment for digestion related issues. It is prepared from natural herbs like chitraka, pippali, danti and other ingredients like shudh tankan, shudhparad, yavkashar, and sarjakashar.

Dosage: 2 tablets twice or thrice daily after meals.

4. Punarnava Capsules

Punarnava capsules is a wonderful product from the house of Planet Ayurveda which is prepared from the standardized extract of punarnava. This herb treats urinary tract infections, fluid accumulation in the body such as pedal edema, and other related disorders. In this condition, it drains out the extra CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) from the brain cavities.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

To scrutinize the stuff that is around us, for walking, talking and all works we need proper functioning of brain. Human brain, a gigantic memory booster, known to contain vast storage space. This makes us creative, curious and intelligent. Sometimes, an ailment makes fault in brain functioning. This fault further can cause problem in many body functions like walking or thinking or taking etc. many of these problems can be healed with the power of nature. As nature provides the fruitful herbs that are known to treat ailments with their effective properties. The way of treatment through which these medicines known to provide its effects are mentioned in Ayurveda.

One of the problems that affects the functioning of brain is Normal pressure hydrocephalus.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DISEASE NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS?

The term hydrocephalus is a term that is portrayed by the abnormal accumulation of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) or can say spinal fluid within the ventricles, present inside the brain.

And the Normal pressure hydrocephalus represents the condition in which there is an accumulation of spinal fluid in the brain's ventricles with little or no increase in intracranial pressure. This causes the ventricles to enlarge, putting pressure on the brain.

This problem generally happens in older persons frequently.

An average adult produces about 500 cc of spinal fluid normally.

Whenever, the circulatory path of the spinal fluid is blocked, fluid starts to accumulate in the ventricles that results in enlargement of ventricles and increased pressure within the head. These conditions results in normal pressure hydrocephalus.

WHY IS THIS CONDITION RAISED?

Many of the cases are due to some unknown reasons. Except these, there are following reason due to which this disease can be caused.

• Cranial surgery
• Tumors
• Head injury
• Bleeding during surgery
• Subdural hematomas

WHAT SYMPTOMS PATIENTS FEEL IF SUFFER FROM NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS?

• Faint condition of dementia – this condition involves less severe dementia which represents symptoms like loss interest in routine activities, short term memory loss and problem during routine task works.
• Problem in walking – problem in picking up feet, making stairs, leg bending and in turning around etc.
• Alter bladder functioning – bladder problem related with frequent urination and urgency. This can be severe in some of the cases. The urge feeling sometimes just over the top and cannot be controlled and this condition resulting in incontinence. In some cases, fecal incontinence also occur and in some cases, there is no symptom related to bladder impairment.

DIAGNOSIS

This problem of Normal pressure hydrocephalus can be diagnosed through following tests, which can provide assurance that the symptoms are due to Normal pressure hydrocephalus disease.

Clinical Examination

This involves physical and neurological examination;

Observe walking, attention, reaction time, memory, language, urinary urgency and emotional stage.

Brain Images Test

This involves tests like;

• CT Scan - Picture of brain created through the use of X rays.
• MRI - Brain images created with the use of radio signals and a powerful magnet.
• To Check Pressure – Measurement of CSF outflow resistance, isotopic cisternography, ICP monitoring and lumbar puncture etc.

SO HOW THIS DISEASE CAN BE MANAGED?

If the problem is just about to outburst, means being critical, the uttermost and common way to correct this problem is surgical implantation, in which a device is implanted that channelizes CSF away from the brain to another part of the body where it can be absorbed.

But if it's in its starting period and also along with the implantation process, to manage the internal condition of body functioning, various herbs have been used.

The medicinal system, Ayurveda has tendency to treat and manage certain kinds of ailments. One of the ailment, which this system can be managed is Normal pressure hydrocephalus. Ayurveda involves usage of herbs which provide therapeutic effects without any side effects.

AYURVEDA is a holistic way to heal the disease condition which helps to managing physical and emotional state together. This medicinal treatment is a well-known treatment way since ancient time. Ayurveda originates in ancient India. This classifies everything – body, its functioning, surrounding world, food and energy - in five elements (water, fire, space, air and earth). All these elements, in every person forms a particular pattern and to understand this pattern, Ayurveda classified the elements combination in three kinds of natural constituents or can say doshas.

Vata Dosha – known to control motion processes like breathing, circulation, nervous signaling, blinking and heartbeat etc.

Pitta Dosha – known to control metabolic processes

Kapha Dosha – known to control growth and immunity of the body system.

In case of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, all doshas are known to be affected, but mainly vata and kapha. These doshas lead to impaired brain functioning. other reason is accumulation of ama (toxins) in the body, which further damages other organ functioning.

So in controlling all these problems, natural treatment plays an important role.

Planet Ayurveda is known to offer very effective formulations that have really fruitful effect in managing the Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus condition.

HERBAL FORMULATION BY PLANET AYURVEDA TO MANAGE NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS

1. Kanchnar Guggul

Kanchnar herb is well known to treat problems related with blockages and tumors. Other herbs in it are known to detoxify body, removing excessive heat, maintain proper bladder and urinary system, and dementia etc. all these helps to treat the problem of Hydrocephalus.

The herbs this formulation has are:

• Kachnar Bark (Bauhinia variegata)
• Amalaki (Emblica officinalis)
• Haritaki (Terminalia chebula)
• Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellerica) 
• Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
• Black pepper (Piper nigrum) 
• Pippali (Piper longum)
• Varuna (Crataeva religiosa)

DOSE – 2-4 tablets, two times a day, after meals with plain water.

2. Mahashankh Vati

This formulation is formed of very effective herbs that are known to treat problems related to digestive disorders, accumulation of toxins and aggravated doshas.

• Pippali (Piper longum)
• Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica)
• Danti (Baliospermum montanum)
• Shudh Parad (Purified Mercury)
• Shudh Tankan (Purified Sodium Biborate)
• Sarjakshar (Sodium Carbonate)
• Yavkshar (Potassium Carbonate)

These are known to treat bowel problems, toxin removal, indigestion, improper movement and low memory. These effect to control the problem of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

DOSE – Two tablets, two to three times a day, after meals.

3. Punarnava Capsules

This is known to contain herb punarnava, known to maintain urinary tract infections, bowel movements, water retention, dementia and problems related with memory and forgetfulness.

Dose – One to two capsules, two times a day, before meals with plain water.

4. Brahmi Capsules

This formulation known to contain brahmi herb, which is known to treat problems related to brain damage, injury and helps to rejuvenates the brain cells that further help to treat Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus condition.

DOSE – 2 capsules in a day.