Evidence‑Based Diagnostic Criteria and Headache Differentiation in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Diagnostic Criteria for IIH

• Normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition is required to meet the diagnostic definition of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH)【3】.
• The diagnosis of IIH mandates that no underlying etiology be identified; the condition is defined as “idiopathic” only after exclusion of secondary causes【2】.
• Obesity is strongly associated with IIH, especially in women of childbearing age, indicating a demographic risk factor that should be considered during evaluation【1】【3】.

Clinical Presentation: Differentiating IIH from Post‑Epidural Headache

• Headaches caused by intracranial hypotension after epidural procedures typically worsen when the patient is upright and improve when supine, which is the opposite pattern of the classic post‑ural headache seen in IIH【4】.