About 25 people are affected by a cerebral hemorrhage every day. What is a cerebral hemorrhage? How does a cerebral hemorrhage occur? How does one recognize a cerebral hemorrhage and therefore a stroke? What is the difference between a cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction and TIA? What are the causes of a cerebral hemorrhage? What are the consequences of a cerebral hemorrhage? How do you diagnose and treat a cerebral hemorrhage? And what can you do to prevent a brain hemorrhage? All these questions and more are addressed in the article below.

About cerebral hemorrhage

A cerebral hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel in the brain breaks. Part of the brain tissue dies after the cerebral hemorrhage because it is flooded with red blood cells and plasma proteins. A cerebral hemorrhage is also commonly called a stroke. A stroke includes all accidents that can occur in blood vessels of the brain and is therefore an umbrella name.Every year, 47,000 people suffer a stroke. That’s 126 people per day. 80 % of these strokes are cerebral infarctions and the other 20% are cerebral hemorrhages. Approximately 25 people are affected by a brain haemorrhage every day.

Cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction and TIA

The consequences of a cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage are virtually the same. The failure symptoms are similar. The cause of both is very different. While a cerebral hemorrhage is caused by a tear in the blood vessel, a cerebral infarction is caused by a blocked blood vessel.A TIA – short for Transient Ischemic Attack – is in fact a short-term cerebral infarction. The complaints disappear after a day. If this is not the case, then there is still a cerebral infarction. In a TIA, the blood vessel is temporarily closed. This may be due to arteriosclerosis or cardiac arrhythmias.

Cause of a cerebral hemorrhage

A human’s brain is well protected in the skull. Therefore, it is not common for a hemorrhage in the head to cause a cerebral hemorrhage.There are three membranes surrounding the brain :

• Soft meninges (pia mater)
• Spider web membrane (arachnoidea)
• Hard meninges (dura mater)

The blood vessels run in the space between the soft meninges and the spider web. This space is also called the subarachnoid space. Brain haemorrhages can occur in two places:

• Around the brain ( subarachnoid hemorrhage )
• In the brain ( tracerebral hemorrhage )

Causes of a cerebral hemorrhage

The causes of a cerebral hemorrhage can be divided according to the location where the cerebral hemorrhage occurs.

Subarachnoidal haemorrhage

A subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs around the brain. As the name suggests, the hemorrhage occurs in the subarachnoid space, the space between the soft meninges and the arachnoid membrane. The cause of such bleeding is almost always a ruptured aneurysm. An aneurysm is a bulge of a blood vessel. This bulge continues to grow as time goes by. You can compare it with a balloon. The greater the pressure in the blood vessels (blood pressure), the sooner the balloon will burst and you will suffer a cerebral hemorrhage. Arteriosclerosis can also accelerate the growth process of the aneurysm.

Intracerebral hemorrhage

Intracerebral hemorrhage is bleeding within the brain tissue itself. This form of cerebral hemorrhage is the most common and often occurs spontaneously. High blood pressure is the main cause of this form of cerebral hemorrhage. But in addition to the identifiable reasons, an intracerebral hemorrhage may also have no apparent reasons. This is, for example, the case if you have long-term high blood pressure or diabetes.

Symptoms of a cerebral hemorrhage

The symptoms of a stroke are always the same regardless of the type (cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction or TIA). The following signs may indicate a stroke and therefore a cerebral hemorrhage:

• A crooked mouth.
• An arm or leg that is paralyzed.
• The person speaks indistinctly and is at a loss for words.

To find out whether someone has a brain haemorrhage – and therefore a stroke – the so-called FAST test can be done. FAST stands for Face-Arm-Speech-Time, the first three words of which are already mentioned above. Time means that the victim must find out how long the complaints have been going on.Other symptoms include a severe headache and reduced vision and walking ability. If you recognize any of these symptoms, it is important to take immediate action. Call 112 immediately and do not wait to see if it might be a TIA. Rapid treatment is crucial for recovery. In addition, leave the victim alone and ensure that he or she does not have to exert himself unnecessarily. Monitor the victim by regularly checking breathing and consciousness.

Consequences of a cerebral hemorrhage

The consequences of a cerebral hemorrhage are almost always the same as those of a heart attack. The severity depends on the part of the brain that is damaged and the effectiveness of the treatment. One of the most important consequences of a cerebral hemorrhage is paralysis . Brains control the muscles in our body. If part of the brain is affected, the corresponding muscles can no longer be controlled. This results in paralysis. In addition to paralysis, one may also have a loss of walking control and speech control. People have difficulty walking because they no longer control their body properly or they have difficulty talking. In the latter case, the language center is damaged. The person’s behavior may also have changed a lot, as well as the personality.Below are the most common consequences of a cerebral hemorrhage:

• Speech disorders (can no longer find the right words, has a crooked mouth)
• Language disorders (one can no longer find the words, no longer understand the language, can no longer read)
• Difficulty walking
• Difficulty controlling the arm
• Paralysis of leg or arm
• Touch senses are affected (no longer experiencing hot and cold)
• Visual disturbances (part of the visual field disappears)
• Change in behavior (more fearful, insecure, impulsive)
• Change in personality (depressed, demented, more emotional, more aggressive, more irritable

Diagnosis and treatment of a cerebral hemorrhage

CT scan is immediately performed. Here a diagnosis can be made – and thus see whether there is actually a brain haemorrhage – and the extent of the damage can be determined. The proof is ultimately provided by vascular research in the brain. This is also called angiography .If the cause of the cerebral hemorrhage was an aneurysm, attempts are made to treat the cerebral hemorrhage with surgery . This operation must take place as quickly as possible. During the operation, the location of the ruptured blood vessel is located and the blood vessel is closed. The aim of this operation is to reduce the chance of recurrence. The CT scan can also see other dilated blood vessels. These aneurysms can then be treated in two ways:

• Coiling
• Clipping

Coiling

This treatment involves inserting a catheter into the groin. A catheter is a thin tube that is inserted into the bloodstream. An IUD is then brought up through this tube to fill the aneurysms in the brain. This filling should ensure that they can no longer burst.

Clipping

The other treatment is called clipping. A clamp (clip) is placed on the blood vessel in question by entering through the skull. This clamp prevents blood from entering the aneurysms.If there is no identifiable cause of the cerebral hemorrhage, there is no treatment. For example, it may be advised that people should eat healthier and stop smoking and drinking, but these are indirect measures.

Preventing a cerebral hemorrhage

A cerebral hemorrhage can never be completely prevented. However, eating healthy does reduce the risk of a brain haemorrhage. Healthy eating lowers blood pressure and high blood pressure is one of the main causes of cerebral hemorrhage. In addition, quitting smoking and moderating alcohol consumption is also beneficial for preventing a brain hemorrhage. In addition, monitor your glucose levels and blood pressure regularly and maintain sufficient exercise. Especially when one is over forty, one should be more alert and carry out more checks on the body.