Subdural hematomas are dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions in which blood vessels in the meninges, or the brain’s protective tissues, are compromised and cause blood to pool in the spaces between the meninges’ layers. While all subdural hematomas are dangerous, they can be categorized into three groups based on the rapidity of their development:
- Acute subdural hematomas develop quickly and are the most life-threatening
- Subacute subdural hematomas develop less rapidly but are still extremely dangerous
- Chronic subdural hematomas take weeks or months to develop, and their slower progression makes them slightly less dangerous
What Is a Subdural Hematoma?
You’re familiar with hematomas. In fact, many of you reading this have experienced a hematoma in the past couple of weeks – in the form of a simple bruise. Any time a quantity of blood pools or collects outside of the circulatory system, the result is a hematoma.
In the case of a bruise, the blood pooling occurs in the skin, and it is usually harmless. A subdural hematoma – one that happens under (sub) the dura mater of the brain – is a much more serious condition that can lead to significant brain damage and even death if left untreated.
When a person suffers a traumatic injury to the head – such as from a fall, traffic collision, sports injury, workplace accident, or other cause – the brain and its protective membranes collide with the person’s skull. Most of the time, the brain bounces off, and the result is a painful headache that subsides within a few hours.
Sometimes, however, that collision in the person’s skull tears or crushes the blood vessels within the meninges, which are the three layers of protective tissue surrounding the brain. When those blood vessels rupture, blood can collect within the space between the dura mater (the outer layer of the meninges) and the arachnoid mater (the middle layer of the meninges). This collection of blood can cause excess pressure to build on the brain itself, leading to potentially severe outcomes.
All subdural hematomas can be placed within three categories:
- Acute hematomas that appear immediately following a trauma
- Subacute hematomas that appear within a few days following a trauma
- Chronic hematomas that appear within weeks following a trauma
What Is an Acute Subdural Hematoma?
Acute subdural hematomas are the most dangerous form of cranial hematoma. They involve a lot of blood collecting rapidly between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater. This blood causes swelling and puts immense pressure on the brain’s tissues. Without immediate intervention to remove the pooled blood and stop the hemorrhaging, brain damage and/or death are highly possible.
The onset of symptoms from an acute subdural hematoma is strong and fast. An acute hematoma patient will begin experiencing symptoms within hours and usually within minutes following the trauma.
Slightly less rapid but no less dangerous, subacute subdural hematomas involve a slower rate of bleeding and, as such, often don’t cause symptoms for a few days to a week after a trauma. Although they may not demand as much urgency as acute hematomas, they still require fast and accurate treatment as soon as possible to avoid long-term negative impacts.
What Is a Chronic Subdural Hematoma?
Chronic subdural hematomas develop far more slowly than their acute brethren and are usually caused by much less dramatic injuries. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a chronic subdural hematoma to only begin showing symptoms long after the fall, collision, or accident that caused it has been completely forgotten.
These less-threatening but still serious hematomas are most commonly experienced by those 65 and older. As we age, the tissue of the meninges, including the dura mater, becomes weaker and less able to withstand traumatic impacts. As such, far milder injuries can cause a subdural hemorrhage and subsequent hematoma.
What Are the Symptoms of a Subdural Hematoma?
The symptoms of most kinds of subdural hematoma are common, regardless of which type the patient has. Other symptoms are more frequently associated with a specific type of subdural hematoma.
Regardless of which symptoms you’re experiencing, if they develop following a traumatic head injury of any kind, contact your doctor or call 911 immediately. When you’re talking to the person on the other end of the phone, make sure to emphasize that you’ve recently suffered a head trauma.
Symptoms of subdural hematomas include:
- A headache that’s usually severe
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Vision changes such as “seeing stars” or suddenly blurry vision
- Dizziness and balance issues
- Weakness affecting only one side of the body
In addition to these symptoms, chronic subdural hematoma patients can experience memory loss, disorientation, and personality changes.
Brain hematomas are serious events that Georgia Neurosurgical Institute is prepared to treat.
The neurosurgeons and team at Georgia Neurosurgical Institute are highly trained and experienced in treating hematomas on the brain with careful precision. The brain is the most crucial organ in the body—when something happens to risk its function, our team is here to treat the problem swiftly and skillfully. Your head is in good hands when you turn to our practice.
Schedule a consultation with Georgia Neurosurgical Institute today: 478-743-7092
Georgia Neurosurgical Institute offers exceptional treatments for the brain and spine to patients throughout Middle Georgia. With offices in Macon and satellite locations in Dublin, Locust Grove, and Warner Robins, we’re able to treat patients in and around:
- Dublin
- Forsyth
- Locust Grove
- Macon
- McDonough
- Milledgeville
- Perry
- Warner Robins
Recent Articles
