A cerebral hemorrhage is a serious medical crisis that requires immediate medical attention. This condition involves a ruptured blood vessel that leaks into the brain. Recognizing the common signs and symptoms can make a major difference in how fast you or a loved one gets the care you need to recover from this health event.
The most common sign of a cerebral hemorrhage is a sudden headache. It is not a normal headache that builds over time. Instead, the pain feels like a violent blow to the head. The accumulation of blood inside the skull causes this intense pressure. It can also lead to nausea or a stiff neck. If someone mentions a sudden, intense headache, they need medical help right away.
A cerebral hemorrhage cuts off the signals that control physical movement. This results in a sudden loss of strength. One side of their face may appear droopy or limp. They find that one arm or leg feels heavy and useless. This numbness usually occurs on the side of the body opposite the site of the brain bleed, which is a clear sign that the brain lacks the oxygen to properly function.
Speech centers in the brain are very sensitive to pressure. When a cerebral hemorrhage happens, a person may sound like they are drunk. Their words come out slurred or make no sense. Some people may even lose the ability to speak. Others can talk but cannot understand what people say to them. This confusion is a clear sign that the brain is in trouble and needs treatment by an experienced neurosurgeon.
A person experiencing a cerebral hemorrhage may experience a total shift in how they see the world. They may have double vision or blurry sight. In some cases, part of their vision disappears. Vision changes happen because the blood blocks the path between the eyes and the brain. The person may also be sensitive to bright lights or struggle to focus on a single object.
Damage to the back of the brain can quickly lead to a loss of physical control. During a cerebral hemorrhage, the individual may experience the following:
These physical changes indicate that the part of the brain that controls balance is under immense stress and requires immediate medical attention.
As the pressure inside the head grows, the person may become very sleepy or hard to wake up. They might seem out of it or act unlike themselves. In more severe cases, they may experience a seizure. This is a sign that pooling blood is irritating the surrounding brain tissue. This stage of the event is very dangerous and requires an immediate trip to the hospital. A neurosurgeon will likely need to perform an emergency surgery to prevent further damage and save the individual's life.
Do not wait if these symptoms appear. Call for an ambulance at the first sign of cerebral hemorrhage. If you live in Palm Harbor or the surrounding area, you can trust our team at Brain and Spine Neuroscience Institute to prevent further damage to you or your loved one's brain. The faster the treatment begins, the better the chance for a full recovery.
Request an appointment here: https://www.brainandspineni.com or call Brain and Spine Neuroscience Institute at (813) 751-2029 for an appointment in our Palm Harbor office.
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