Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak

Low-pressure headache
Intracranial hypotension

May sometimes be caused by Spinal Injury, Brain Injury, or Subarachnoid Haemorrhage; or may sometimes be caused by medical procedures, such as those relating to Hydrocephalus or Multiple Sclerosis.

"A cerebrospinal fluid leak occurs when there is a tear or hole in the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, and the fluid that surrounds these structures escapes. As a result of this leak, the overall pressure within the skull can drop (which is referred to as intracranial hypotension) and this can cause headaches as well as other neurological symptoms."

Source: The Brain & Spine Foundation
https://tinyurl.com/ybx6gfjo

" Common symptoms

• Headache that is worse when upright and better when horizontal (but other patterns do occur)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Neck pain or stiffness
• Change in hearing (muffled, underwater, tinnitus) "

Source: U.S. Spinal CSF Leak Foundation
https://tinyurl.com/yahpsoyz

• Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (SCSFL)
• Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea

CSF Leak Association
www.csfleak.info
CSF Leak Association Facebook page:
https://tinyurl.com/y76eqxdp

Brain & Spine Foundation
www.brainandspine.org.uk
Helpline freephone 0808 808 1000,
Monday to Thursday, from 9am to 4pm, and Fridays, from 9am to 1pm. Not open on Bank Holidays.

Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (U.S. National Organization for Rare Disorders)
https://tinyurl.com/yaev4rqb

CSF Leak: A Curable Cause of Headache (Cedars-Sinai Hospital, U.S.)
https://tinyurl.com/ybkr3c8a

Spinal CSF Leak Foundation (U.S.)
http://spinalcsfleak.org

The library at the Brain Charity has a wide range of resources on disability-related issues. This includes a copy of the Brain & Spine Foundation's booklet on headache.