Billy Joel’s diagnosis sparks questions about normal pressure hydrocephalus

In May, Billy Joel announced that he was cancelling upcoming concert performances because he has been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). In an interview with Bill Maher he said, “I feel fine. My balance sucks. It’s like being on a boat.”

I’ll let the Hydrocephalus Association explain what NPH is: “Normal pressure hydrocephalus is when there is a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in an area in the center of the brain called (ventricles). This causes the ventricles to become enlarged, sometimes with little or no increase in intracranial pressure (ICP).”

“Under normal circumstances, our body produces an appropriate amount of CSF each day, and any extra fluid is reabsorbed back into the body. However, for people with NPH, the CSF is produced in regular amounts but fails