Symptoms of an Arachnoid Cyst | Neurological Surgery

Some arachnoid cysts cause no symptoms at all. When an arachnoid cyst does cause symptoms, those symptoms depend on where the cyst is located. When it’s located around the brain, symptoms include:

Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Hydrocephalus (accumulation of fluid in the brain, which can change the shape of an infant’s head)
Developmental delay
Behavioral changes
Seizures
Hearing and visual disturbances
Vertigo
Difficulties with balance and walking
Headaches
Seizures
Decreased cognitive performance
Hemiparesis (weakness or paralysis on one side of the body)
Ataxia (lack of muscle control)

Arachnoid cysts around the spinal cord compress the spinal cord or nerve roots and cause symptoms such as:

Back and leg pain
Tingling or numbness in the legs or arms

An arachnoid cyst that causes any of these symptoms needs to be evaluated for possible treatment, as it may continue to grow and cause neurological damage as it puts pressure on surrounding brain tissue. Since many of these symptoms can be caused by a range of other conditions, an accurate diagnosis is critical (see Diagnosing and Treating an Arachnoid Cyst). The good news is that the prognosis for those with arachnoid cysts is excellent, and the surgery to drain or remove a cyst is safe and effective (see Surgery for Arachnoid Cysts).

Request an Appointment | Refer a Patient

What our Patients Say

“Be Your Own Advocate and Don’t Stop Fighting”

Rebecca Menachem was not making things up. By age 12 she had made so many trips to the school nurse complaining of headaches that, as she recalls now, “everyone thought I was faking sicknesses to go home.” But her migraines were real, and eventually...