
If the leak is large enough to cause intracranial hypotension, your brain will sink downward in your skull, putting too much pressure on its lower sections. If the leak is small, it might not cause noticeable effects, or you might notice symptoms and mistake them for something else. There's less fluid to surround, support and cushion your brain when you have a CSF leak. It's also common for healthcare providers to misdiagnose a CSF leak as another condition, like migraine, sinus infections or allergies. Experts don't know exactly how common CSF leaks are because they're difficult to diagnose. However, it's very likely that CSF leaks happen more often than that number suggests. Intracranial hypotension is a rare condition, and about 5 people out of every 100,000 have it. That causes a condition known as intracranial hypotension (“intracranial” means “inside your skull” and “hypotension” means “lower than normal pressure”). Having a CSF leak causes a drop in fluid pressure inside your head. People assigned female at birth are also much more likely to develop spontaneous CSF leaks.

Spontaneous CSF leaks are more likely in people over 30 (the average age to have them is 42). But if you fill the jar with water and then shake it, the water slows down how fast the grape moves and cushions it, preventing damage. That’s what would happen to your brain if you had no CSF. If the jar is empty and you give it a good shake, you’ll bruise or damage the grape. The effect is similar to putting a grape inside a jar. The CSF layer also supports and cushions your brain and spinal cord from sudden movements.

CSF contains nutrients that your brain can use.

Your brain and spinal cord have a surrounding protective layer of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). If the leak is large enough, it can cause severe symptoms that make it hard or even impossible to go about your life as usual. What is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak?Ī cerebrospinal fluid leak is when the fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord leaks out from where it’s supposed to be.
