What Causes a Brain Bleed?
When you think of a brain bleed most people are going to assume it is bleeding inside your head. They aren’t wrong but most doctors would say that it is too broad of a term. To doctors, it is known as intracranial hemorrhage but even that is too simple of a term for most. So what is a brain bleed then?
To better understand what a brain bleed is, it is important to have a basic understanding of the different types. There are two main areas where the bleeding can occur and those are either within the skull but outside the brain tissue or inside the brain tissue.
Types of Brain Bleeds
As stated there are two areas in which a brain bleed can happen. From there the areas are further divided as follows:
Bleeding Within the Skull but Outside of the Brain Tissue
The brain has three membrane lawyers that lay between the skull and the actual brain tissue. The purpose of these layers is to cover and protect the brain. Anywhere between these three membranes. The membranes are called the dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater.
- Epidural Bleed: This type of bleed happens between the skull bone and the utmost membrane layer which is the dura mater.
- Subdural Bleed: It happens between the dura mater and the arachnoid membrane.
- Subarachnoid Bleed: This type of bleed happens between the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater.
Bleeding Inside the Brain Tissue
There are two types of bleeds that can occur inside the brain tissue itself. They are as follows:
- Intracerebral Hemorrhage: This bleeding occurs in the lobes, pons, and cerebellum of the brain. This means anywhere in the brain tissue itself including the brainstem.
- Intraventricular Hemorrhage: This bleeding occurs in the brain’s ventricles. These are specific areas of the brain where cerebrospinal fluid is produced.
Causes of Brain Bleeds
Regardless of the location, brain bleeds usually happen suddenly. Because of that, a brain bleed can cause serious damage to the brain and even be fatal. Once brain cells die they do not regenerate which means getting it treated quickly is in your best interest. Here are some of the most common reasons a brain bleed can happen:
- Head trauma caused by a fall, car accident, sports accident, or any blow to the head.
- High blood pressure can damage the vessel walls and cause blood vessels to leak or burst.
- A buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries.
- Blood clots that traveled to the brain from another part of the body.
- Ruptured cerebral aneurysm
- A lead from abnormally formed connections between arteries and veins
- Bleeding disorders
- Brain tumors that press on the brain tissue causing bleeding
- Smoking, heavy alcohol use, or illegal drugs
A brain bleed is a serious thing that needs to be checked out by medical professionals as soon as possible. If you have had a brain bleed due to an accident or malpractice then contact a brain bleed lawyer like the ones at Davis & Brusca, LLC, for more information.