Brain Haemorrhage Symptoms: Causes and Early Detection

Essential Information on Brain Haemorrhage: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment 

A brain haemorrhage is a severe medical condition that results in bleeding in or around the brain and leads to critical health conditions. According to reports, the percentage of strokes increased by 47% from 1990 to 2021 in India, with a growth rate from 4.4 million to 9.4 million and 20 percent of them are because of bleeding.

A brain haemorrhage is a severe form of illness that can severely damage the brain, making it dangerous for life. Let's explore more about brain haemorrhage: its kinds, complications, and how to act in case there is suspicion that the person is having a life-threatening event.

What is Brain Haemorrhage?

Bleeding in the brain is termed a brain haemorrhage, also known as a cerebral haemorrhage. This bleeding may occur in the brain tissue itself or the supporting structures of the brain, such as the subarachnoid space. Brain haemorrhages fall into several categories: intracerebral, subarachnoid, and epidural or subdural. 

These all will have their own progression and, hence, different treatments. The place and extent of the bleeding determine the severity of the brain haemorrhage to a large extent. A brain haemorrhage can even cause significant complications such as brain damage, disability, or death.

How Brain Haemorrhage Occurs?

Also known as intracranial haemorrhage, brain haemorrhage is a type of stroke caused by internal bleeding inside the skull. When one of the blood vessels in the brain leaks or bursts, blood pools, creating pressure against the brain. 

Since the brain cannot store oxygen, it requires a system of blood vessels to feed nutrients and oxygen. Suppose an accumulation of blood happens due to a brain bleed. In that case, this will prevent the delivery of the added vital substances to the brain's tissues and cells, with the potential to cause irreversible damage.

Note: Some 20% of these strokes are due to brain haemorrhage, and 80% to blockage or other shortage of blood flow to the brain.

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What are the Symptoms of Brain Haemorrhage?

Identifying the symptoms of a brain haemorrhage is critical to present at urgent medical care. Depending on the type of bleeding and its location, symptoms can vary. Some common symptoms are as follows:

1. Severe Headache

It is usually described as a sudden, severe headache that feels like it could be the worst headache of one's life. This is more common in the case of subarachnoid haemorrhage.

2. Nausea and Vomiting

The patient might present with nausea and vomiting due to increased intracranial pressure.

3. Abrupt Loss of Consciousness

It may be as short as minimal time durations or up to long duration times.

4. Weakness or Numbness

The patient may have some weakness or numbness around the limbs. It often has this unilateral presentation.

5. Seizures

In some individuals, the main complication could be seizures occasioned by bleeding in the brain.

6. Altered Mental Status

Another aspect of brain haemorrhage is that the patient feels confused or even bewildered and unresponsive.

7. Vision Problems

You may face double vision or even sudden loss of vision in case you have a pre-brain haemorrhage.

8. Speaking Difficulty

Another major sign of brain haemorrhage is language problems, such as slurred speech or the inability to put words together.

Thus, if you or anyone living with you experience the symptoms and signs of brain haemorrhage, rush for emergency medical care immediately.

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What are the Causes of Brain Haemorrhage?

Understanding the causes of brain haemorrhage is essential in its prevention and treatment. Some common causes of bleeding in the brain include:

High Blood Pressure

Chronic hypertension is one of the leading causes of brain haemorrhage. With time, hypertension can weaken the walls of blood vessels, making them more susceptible to rupture. Long-term high blood pressure causes other complications in the cardiovascular system, thus increasing the chances of injuring the brain.

Aneurysms

An aneurysm is described as a weakness in the arterial wall that protrudes and eventually ruptures, leaking blood into the brain. Bulges of this nature may go unnoticed for years and may rupture suddenly, which can cause death in brain haemorrhage patients.

Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)

This forms a tangled mass of blood vessels that can rupture and produce brain haemorrhage. AVMs can compromise brain tissue's normal flow and oxygenation, thereby elevating the risks of neurological complications.

Trauma

There are various head injuries resulting from head falls, traffic accidents, and sports, among others. As minor as some traumas prove to be, they can lead to serious bleeding in some populations, such as the elderly.

Blood Disorders

Disorders such as haemophilia or treatment with anticoagulant medications predispose to bleeding. Bleeding episodes from patients with such disorders can be quite fatal, especially when they are spontaneous and occur in the brain.

Tumours

Some tumours that arise in the brain can bleed and thus lead to a brain haemorrhage. Tumours can invade the surrounding tissues and thus disrupt normal blood vessel structures, making the possibility of haemorrhage relatively high.

Consumption of Drug

Illicit drugs, cocaine, and amphetamines include some that may contribute to or predispose to bleeding through mechanisms such as influence on blood pressure. Substance abuse can sometimes lead to decisions and judgments that increase the likelihood of injury to the head.

Brain Bleed

Most traumatic injuries, including falls or accidents, cause brain bleeds. A brain bleed is a condition that requires treatment only in a hospital environment. This is because the cells in the brain die due to suffocation within three to four minutes if they are starved of adequate oxygen supply, and time-sensitive intervention highlights the need for urgency.

Older Age

Another reason for brain haemorrhage is older age. It rises with age as blood vessels weaken, and health conditions are known to begin accumulating. Older adults may have comorbidities that may make them physically weak and lead to brain bleeds.

Note: Between 18% and 42% of victims of brain haemorrhage die within a month.

Diagnosis of Brain Haemorrhage 

Diagnosis of a brain haemorrhage involves a combination of medical history and physical examination with imaging studies. Doctors often do a neurological examination to assess motor function, reflexes, and cognitive abilities. They will first look at your full medical history and your symptoms. After that, they may request imaging tests such as:

• A computed tomography (CT) scan
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA)

These imaging studies can help determine where the bleeding is occurring, its severity, and sometimes what causes it. Following on from that will probably be a series of more tests to determine the cause, which may include:

• Chest X-ray
• Electroencephalogram (ECG)
• Urinalysis
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Angiography to look for an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation

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What Medications are Required for Brain Haemorrhage Treatment?

Brain haemorrhage treatment may include a prescription of these drugs to help with symptoms, treat the cause, or prevent complications from a brain bleed, depending on the diagnostic test results. These include:

• Anti-anxiety medications
• Blood pressure medications
• Anti-seizure medications
• Pain relievers
• Osmotics (to lessen swelling)
• Steroid medications (corticosteroids)
• Stool softeners (to avoid straining and pressure)

A brain haemorrhage is a dangerous health condition that needs urgent medical care. Knowing the symptoms, causes, and remedies for a brain haemorrhage will be important in preventing such a disaster and providing timely assistance. 

Hence, if you or your loved one is experiencing symptoms like a brain haemorrhage, then do not delay your medical care. Furthermore, you can consider comprehensive health insurance from Star Health Insurance to get proper financial aid for any medical emergency and its treatments.