What is a Brain Bleed?
A brain bleed is also known as a hemorrhagic stroke and is considered a medical emergency! This occurs when the blood vessels in the brain break, causing blood to leak in/around brain tissue. A brain bleed can be caused by factors such as smoking, obesity, high stress levels, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. This condition is diagnosed based on patient symptoms, medical history, CT or MRI, and sometimes further heart tests (EKG and/or echocardiogram).
How is a Brain Bleed Treated?
Treatment of a brain bleed focuses on finding the source of the bleeding and stopping it. Once the bleeding stops, rehab and prevention of further bleeds is crucial. Treatment options include blood pressure medications, clipping or coiling a burst aneurysm, or fixing an arteriovenous malformation.
Rehab can be beneficial in helping patients regain function, or to learn ways to cope with any permanent disability that may be present.