{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html","title":"nytimes.com","domain":"nytimes.com","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/14842334/pexels-photo-14842334.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","category":"Culture","language":"en","slug":"3f4633f6","id":"3f4633f6-4078-4a35-b97f-ce6aa89be25d","description":"A 72-year-old man's gait suddenly changed to a shuffle noticed by his wife while walking.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-press","summary":"## TL;DR\n- A 72-year-old man's gait suddenly changed to a shuffle noticed by his wife while walking.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Tests ruled out Parkinson's and spinal issues after seven years of doctor visits.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Normal pressure hydrocephalus diagnosis led to shunt surgery with immediate gait improvement.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n\n## The story at a glance\nA 72-year-old man from Huntington, N.Y., developed a shuffling gait that his wife noticed seven years ago, prompting extensive medical evaluation.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html) Multiple specialists tested for spinal stenosis, Parkinson's disease, and other causes, but none explained the symptom until normal pressure hydrocephalus (N.P.H.) was diagnosed.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html) The article details the diagnostic journey and successful shunt treatment in Lisa Sanders's Diagnosis column.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n\nN.P.H. involves excess cerebrospinal fluid buildup despite normal pressure, causing gait issues, urinary problems, and cognitive changes.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n\n## Key moments & milestones\n- Wife notices husband's shuffling gait while walking to restaurant in Huntington, N.Y.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Man sees internist, then neurologist; MRI shows spinal stenosis, MRA and DaTscan negative for Parkinson's.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Orthopedic surgery on neck stenosis fails to improve gait after physical therapy.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Second DaTscan shows small substantia nigra defect; Sinemet trial fails at high dose.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Neurosurgeon Kaplitt diagnoses N.P.H.; confirms with lumbar puncture test showing gait improvement.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Permanent shunt placed three weeks later; gait improves immediately and profoundly.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n\n## Signature highlights\n- Shuffling gait described as hunched, feet barely lifting off ground, resembling sudden aging.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Seven years of consultations with multiple neurologists, orthopedists; tests included repeated MRIs, EMGs, blood work.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- N.P.H. caused by brain's reduced ability to absorb cerebrospinal fluid, leading to ventricle enlargement and symptoms.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Lumbar drainage test produced immediate gait improvement, confirming diagnosis despite N.P.H.'s diagnostic challenges.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n- Shunt surgery drains excess fluid; often reverses gait issues if diagnosed timely.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n\n## Key quotes\n- “Honey, stop shuffling!” his wife called out; “I’m not shuffling,” he replied.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)\n\n## Why it matters\nN.P.H. affects older adults, mimicking Parkinson's or dementia but is treatable with shunts if caught early.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html) Readers with gait changes, incontinence, or mild cognition issues should seek evaluation for fluid buildup via MRI and drainage tests.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/shuffle-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html) Watch for neurosurgical advances in shunt precision and less invasive options.[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/well/billy-joel-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.html)","hashtags":["#health","#neurology","#hydrocephalus","#aging","#medicine","#parkinsons"],"viewCount":2,"publishedAt":"2026-04-04T16:21:07.504Z"}