Pseudotumor cerebri (SOO-doe-too-mur SER-uh-bry) occurs when the pressure inside your skull (intracranial pressure) increases for no obvious reason. It’s also called idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Symptoms mimic those of a brain tumor. The increased intracranial pressure can cause swelling of the optic nerve and result in vision loss. Medications often can reduce this pressure and the headache, but in some cases, surgery is necessary.

Pseudotumor cerebri can occur in children and adults, but it’s most common in women of childbearing age who are obese.

Pseudotumor cerebri signs and symptoms might include:

• Often severe headaches that might originate behind your eyes
• A whooshing sound in your head that pulses with your heartbeat
• Nausea, vomiting or dizziness
• Vision loss
• Brief episodes of blindness, lasting a few seconds and affecting one or both eyes
• Difficulty seeing to the side
• Double vision
• Seeing light flashes
• Neck, shoulder or back pain

Sometimes, symptoms that have resolved can recur months or years later.