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There are many symptoms associated with changes in intracranial pressure, including headaches, transient visual obscurations , nausea and/or vomiting, and decreased consciousness . However, these symptoms may be vague or absent. The most common sign of increased intracranial pressure is papilledema.

While increased intracranial pressure is a far more common (and far more serious) sign, it is possible for the intracranial pressure to drop below normal levels as well. The symptoms for both conditions are often the same, leading many medical experts to believe that it is the change in pressure rather than the pressure itself causing the above symptoms.

Causes of increased intracranial pressure include:

• Pseudotumor cerebri
• Arnold-Chiari malformation
• A brain tumor or other mass lesion
• Severe Hypertension
• Lyme disease
• Hydrocephalus