Intracranial hemorrhage refers to bleeding within the skull due to the rupture of blood vessels. The following article will cover some information with respect to the prognosis of this condition.
Intracranial hemorrhage involves the rupture of a blood vessel inside the skull, which leads to internal bleeding, and brain damage. Head injury is one of the most common causes, especially in people who are under the age of 50. Other causes and risk factors include aneurysm, amyloid angiopathy, brain tumors, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, alcoholism, diabetes, etc.
The symptoms include loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, sudden onset of painful headaches, numbness, weakness, paralysis, loss of vision, altered speech, and confusion. Some may even experience seizures. This condition requires immediate medical intervention, and the treatment depends on the type, location, cause, and the extent of damage.
Given below is the prognosis of different types of intracranial hemorrhages.
Also known as epidural hematoma, it involves bleeding between the dura (tough layer that covers the brain) and the skull. The symptoms develop rapidly, and result in brief loss of consciousness. The prognosis in this case is poor, and it is observed to be fatal in about 15 to 20% patients, even with proper medical care. Most of the other patients who lose their consciousness may remain comatose forever.
This condition occurs due to trauma caused to the head by a blunt object. Bleeding occurs between the dura mater and the brain proper. Subdural hematoma is divided into acute, sub-acute or chronic hematoma. These are classified according to initial injury, and the time required for the symptoms to develop.
In case of acute subdural hematoma, the symptoms develop within 24 hours of injury. A mortality rate of 50 to 80% is observed in this case. The symptoms of subacute subdural hematoma develop in about 2 to 19 days from the initial traumatic brain injury, and the mortality rate observed is 25%. In case of chronic subdural hematoma, the symptoms develop after about 2 weeks, and a mortality rate of 20% is observed.
It is characterized by bleeding in the subarachnoid space. The symptoms include sudden and severe headache. This headache is generally localized, and may spread and turn into a dull, throbbing pain. It is also accompanied by nausea, severe neck pain, confusion, seizures, dizziness, and unresponsiveness. According to the American Stroke Association, 5 to 10% of strokes occur due to this condition.
Here, bleeding can occur anywhere within the brain, and is generally caused by an aneurysm or brain injury. This pressure causes damage to the tissues. If the patient receives immediate medical care, the prognosis may be very good.
The prognosis generally depends on the size of hematoma, and the extent of swelling. The amount of bleeding, and the region of bleeding influence the recovery of the patient. Some lucky few recover completely without any permanent or temporary brain damage. However, some develop permanent loss of brain function that may lead to certain disabilities. If prompt medical treatment is not provided, it may prove to be fatal. If one suffers from any of the risk factors, he/she should undergo regular medical checkups to reduce the chances of developing hemorrhage.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.