Any type of head trauma can leave you struggling with symptoms that could impact your daily life. After a car accident, assault, slip and fall, or any other incident in which you hit your head, there is a risk of experiencing a brain bleed. These are serious injuries that require immediate medical help, so understanding the most common symptoms can help protect your life.
Keep reading to learn more about brain bleeds, including common symptoms and how they may be treated.
What Is a Brain Bleed?
A brain bleed, also called an intracranial hemorrhage, occurs when a blood vessel in or around the brain breaks or leaks. This can cause blood to pool within the skull, which can increase pressure. The pressure can be high enough to make it difficult for brain cells to get the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive.
As pressure builds inside the skull, it can damage brain tissue and interfere with blood flow. Without prompt treatment, a brain bleed can cause permanent brain damage or become life-threatening. This is why getting medical care as soon as possible is essential for these types of brain injuries.
Common Symptoms of a Brain Bleed
For many people, the first symptom of a brain bleed is a sudden and severe headache.
People with brain bleeds also often experience any of the following symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sudden tingling, numbness, weakness, or paralysis in parts of the body
- Slurred speech
- Fatigue
- Vision loss
- Trouble breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Stiff neck
- Loss of coordination or balance
- Light sensitivity
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
If not treated immediately, there could be serious complications. You could develop memory loss, personality shifts, permanent vision loss, trouble moving part of your body, and movement and coordination issues. It is critical that you consult with a doctor as soon as possible if you think you may be experiencing a severe head injury.
Symptoms of a brain bleed may appear immediately after a head injury or develop gradually over time. Some people may initially feel fine before experiencing worsening symptoms. Seek emergency medical care if you develop a severe or worsening headache, repeated vomiting, confusion, weakness, seizures, or loss of consciousness after a head injury.
Treating a Brain Bleed
Doctors typically use CT scans to diagnose brain bleeds following head injuries. These scans can help identify the location and severity of the bleeding. In some cases, an MRI may provide additional information about the injury.
Severe brain bleeds may require emergency surgery to remove accumulated blood or relieve pressure inside the skull. Depending on the injury, surgeons may perform a craniotomy to remove blood or a decompressive craniectomy to relieve pressure caused by brain swelling.
Not all brain bleeds require surgery, however. Smaller, stable bleeds may be managed through close monitoring and medications to control complications. Treatment may include medications to manage blood pressure, reduce pressure inside the skull, or control seizures.
Some people may need physical, occupational, or speech therapy for weeks or months after the injury. The length of rehabilitation depends on the severity of the bleed and the areas of the brain affected.
Pursuing Legal Action After a Brain Bleed
If another party’s misconduct caused you to suffer a brain bleed, you should consider filing a personal injury claim. To do so, you will need to demonstrate that the other party owed you a duty of care and that they breached it with their actions. You will then have to connect that conduct directly to your brain bleed.
Because you will likely be dealing with symptoms that impact your daily function, the last thing you should have to worry about is filing legal paperwork. That is where hiring an attorney can be so essential.
With a lawyer by your side, you can focus on healing from the brain bleed while still knowing that someone is fighting for your rights. The sooner you take this step, the easier it can be to get through this moment in your life.
Contact the Fort Mitchell Brain Injury Lawyers at Hendy Johnson Vaughn for a Free Consultation
Seeking immediate medical care should be your first priority if you suspect you may have a brain bleed. Once your condition is stable, a next step could be to talk to a lawyer about your legal rights and options. If someone else’s negligence caused your injury, they could owe you compensation for your financial and personal losses.
For more information, contact the Fort Mitchell brain injury lawyers at Hendy Johnson Vaughn at (859) 578-4444 to set up a free consultation.
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600 W Main St Ste 200
Louisville, KY, 40202
(859) 578-4444
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2380 Grandview Dr
Fort Mitchell, KY, 41017
(859) 578-4444