Who Treats IH?
Intracranial hypertension is not treated exclusively by one type of doctor. A specialist will treat one particular area while another specialist will address a different set of issues related to his or her area of expertise. For example, you may see a neurologist to treat headaches. For vision issues, you may visit an ophthalmologist or neuro-ophthalmologist. If you need shunt surgery, you will see a neurosurgeon. Like many neurological disorders, chronic IH can affect the entire body. As a result, you may encounter doctors from a range of specialties, including:
- Anesthesiology
- Bariatric Surgery
- Endocrinology
- Family Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Internal Medicine
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Neuro-Ophthalmology
- Neuro-radiology
- Obstetrics / GYN
- Ophthalmology
- Pain Management
- Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
- Surgery
There may be other specialties, depending on your circumstances.
Because of this “fragmentation” of medical care, many specialists may only see a small slice of the big picture, which is why it’s important to gather enough information so that you can find the right people to help you and assist your physicians in communicating with one another about your care.