According to the Mayo Clinic, the cause of the somewhat mysterious condition pseudotumor cerebri, also known as intracranial hypertension, may be linked to an excess amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the bony confines of the skull.

“Your brain and spinal cord are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid, which acts like a cushion to protect these vital tissues from injury,” MayoClinic.com reports. “This fluid is produced in the brain and eventually is absorbed into the bloodstream. The increased intracranial pressure of pseudotumor cerebri may be a result of a problem in this absorption process.” Intracranial pressure increases when the contents of the skull exceed its capacity. A pseudotumor cerebri condition is diagnosed when pressure inside the skull increases for no obvious reason.

Several studies have shown that individuals suffering from pseudotumor cerebri have demonstrated narrowing in two large sinuses in the brain, although further research is underway to determine whether that causes the condition or if it is merely another pseudotumor cerebri side effect.

Medical experts have not yet figured out exactly what causes pseudotumor cerebri. This condition often mimics a brain tumor due to elevated pressure in the brain,which is why it is also commonly referred to as a false brain tumor. Swelling of the optic nerves, is a chief pseuodtumor cerebri side effect and can result in permanent vision loss.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Symptoms and Facts

While pseudotumor cerebri can affect both children and adults, it predominantly strikes obese women between ages 20 and 50.

One to two people out of 100,000 are diagnosed with this condition, which generally presents with moderate to severe headaches that may originate behind the eyes and worsen with eye movement.

Ringing in the ears that pulses in time with your heartbeat (pulsatile tinnitus) is also a commonly reported pseudotumor cerebri symptom, as is nausea, vomiting or dizziness, blurred or dimmed vision. Brief episodes of blindness lasting a few seconds that affect one or both eyes have also allegedly affected pseudotumor cerebri victims.

Difficulty seeing to the side, double vision (diplopia), and seeing light flashes (photopsia) are also common symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri, as are neck, shoulder or back pain.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Risk Factors

Though there is currently no definitive cause for pseudotumor cerebri, the Mayo Clinic has published the greatest risk factors.

There is a strong correlation between obesity and pseudotumor cerebri. Between four and 21 obese women in 100,000 develop benign intracranial hypertension, with obese women under the age of 44 at greatest risk of developing this disorder.

Birth control pills may increase the risk of developing the condition, according to the National Institutes of Health, as well as growth hormones, tetracycline, and excess Vitamin A.

Diagnosing pseudotumor cerebri should include a brain scan to rule out other causes. An eye exam to look for swelling of the optic disc, where the optic nerve enters the eyeball may also be necessary to come up with a solid diagnosis. A visual fields test can check for blind spots, while a lumbar puncture provides doctors with information about the pressure inside an individual’s skull. Additionally, a lumbar puncture can relieve the symptoms, though sometimes only temporarily.

Treatment options for pseudotumor cerebri, according to Johns Hopkins University, may include: a weight loss plan, limiting fluids or salt in the diet, the surgical placement of shunt to redirect fluid from the brain and ease pressure buildup, undergoing a spinal tap to remove fluid and alleviate pressure, and/or taking diuretics or other medications to help rid the body of excess fluid.

Many women who believe that their pseudotumor cerebri condition was caused by their use of a certain type of birth control may consider filing a birth control pseudotumor cerebri lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturers.