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Symptoms of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) most often occurs in patients over the age of 60 and it presents with symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s disease. There are three (triad) classic symptoms that are associated with NPH. They include:
Abnormal Gait – Often this is the first symptom to become apparent and in almost all cases the most pronounced. Patients present with a wide-based, slow shuffling step that could lead to imbalance and frequent falling.
Mild Dementia – Often presents as short-term memory loss and difficulty in dealing with simple routine tasks. Patients may also show a loss of interest in daily activities.
Urinary Incontinence – Often times the last apparent symptom, patients may experience frequent urgency, to a complete loss of bladder control.
It should be noted that some patients might only display one or two of these classic symptoms. If NPH is suspected, a very thorough history and neurological examination along with a variety of diagnostic tests would be required before making a diagnosis.