The bleeding peril that can strike without warning

A BRAIN haemorrhage is bleeding in or around the brain.

It results from the rupture of a cerebral aneurysm – a ballooning in an artery wall, causing it to thin and become weak.

There are usually no warning signs, but it can sometimes happen during physical effort.

Symptoms include a sudden severe headache, being sick, seizures and loss of consciousness. It accounts for five per cent of all strokes in the UK. The pooled blood forms a mass known as a haematoma, increasing the pressure on the brain and reducing blood flow. People who experience the condition will sometimes develop symptoms similar to a stroke, with weakness on one side or numbness. Sometimes patients will experience difficulty speaking or seeing.

Luke Griggs, from the brain injury charity Headway, said patients can suffer a haemorrhage spontaneously as a result of a ruptured aneurysm.

“A haemorrhage can also result from a blow to the head,” he added, “often of a significant severity, but it can sometimes occur after a seemingly minor head injury.”

Other causes can include high blood pressure, leading to weakening arterial walls or weakened blood vessels.

In some cases of brain haemorrhage, an operation is needed to relieve the pressure on the brain. Draining the haematoma will reduce the size of the pooled blood, while surgeons can also repair damaged blood vessels.

There are several ways a surgeon can drain the pooled blood, including removing a portion of the skull.

A bleed on the brain can also be treated through medication.

Mr Griggs said: “Every brain injury is unique, as is every individual’s recovery.”

Many patients will survive, but recovery can take many months. Extensive rehabilitation is needed to regain function, including speech therapy.

Some people can be left with persistent weakness or residual seizures, headaches or memory problems.