Brain Hemorrhage

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Brain bleed symptoms may include:

  • Sudden or severe headache
  • Weakness, tingling or numbness in the arms or legs (often on one side)
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Changes in vision 
  • Changes in balance
  • Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
  • Difficulty using fine motor skills 
  • Seizures
  • Loss of consciousness

    Diagnosis

    To make a brain hemorrhage diagnosis, your doctor will first ask about your brain bleed symptoms. Next, they’ll work to locate the source of the bleeding. To do this, your doctor may order a CT scan, an MRI, or one of the following tests:

  • Angiogram: During an angiogram, a catheter is inserted into an artery and threaded through the circulatory system up to the brain. A dye is then injected through the catheter. This dye makes blood flow easy to see on X-rays.
  • Computed tomography angiography (CTA): During a CTA test, dye is injected directly into the bloodstream. This dye makes it easy to see the arteries in your brain on a CT scan.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid exam: Evidence of blood in this fluid may indicate bleeding.
  • A lumbar puncture,Also known as a spinal tap, a lumbar puncture is another way to make a brain bleed diagnosis.

Brain bleed treatments depend on the size of the hemorrhage, its location in the brain, and the amount of swelling it causes. Once your doctor locates the source of the bleeding, hemorrhage treatments may include:
 

BrainPath surgery: This approach allows your surgeon to remove a tumor or a blood clot through a dime-sized channel, or port. Compared with traditional open surgery, it typically causes less scarring, fewer complications, and has a quicker recovery time.

Surgery: In some cases, traditional surgery may be needed to drain blood from the brain or to repair damaged blood vessels.

Draining the fluid that surrounds the brain: This creates room for the hematoma to expand without damaging brain cells.

Medication: Drugs are used to control blood pressure, seizures or headaches.

Catheter: A long, thin tube is threaded through blood vessels until it reaches the affected area. 

Physical, occupational and speech therapy: These brain bleed treatments can help individuals regain brain functions (such as the ability to speak) that may have been affected by brain bleed.

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Managing Editor
Journal of Brain Research.