BY CHIOMA OBINNA

Many people have lost their lives today due to what they considered as ‘minor injuries’ to the head. These people no doubt lost their lives due to ignorance of the fact that no injury on the head whether minor or major should be left untreated.

According to neurologists, all injuries on the head with or without swelling should be treated as a matter of urgency. Injuries on the head can involve any or all parts of the head: the scalp, skull, brain, spinal fluid, and blood vessels. Head trauma can be internal or external, or both. External injuries can cause a fractured skull. An internal injury, such as the brain hitting the inside of the skull, can cause bleeding within the skull.

Hospital statistics available have shown that bleeding in the head commonly known as brain haemorrhage is the leading cause of death from bleeding in all age groups. A brain haemorrhage is a type of stroke caused by an artery in the brain bursting and causing localised bleeding in the surrounding tissues. This bleeding, according to experts, kills brain cells.

Brain haemorrhages are also called cerebral, intracranial or intracerebral haemorrhages. They account for about 13 per cent of strokes. Without early recognition and treatment, death or severe neurologic impairment can occur. It may be spontaneous, without history of injury.

Neurologists say when blood from trauma irritates brain tissues, it causes swellin, known as cerebral edema. The pooled blood collects into a mass called a hematoma.

These conditions increase pressure on nearby brain tissue, and that reduces vital blood flow and kills brain cells. Bleeding can occur inside the brain, between the brain and the membranes that cover it, between the layers of the brain’s covering or between the skull and the covering of the brain.

There are several risk factors and causes of brain hemorrhages. The most common include: Head trauma. Injury is the most common cause of bleeding in the brain for those under 50. Again, studies have found that High Blood Pressure, over a long period of time, weakens blood vessel walls. Experts also stressed that untreated high blood pressure is a major preventable cause of brain haemorrhages.

When the blood vessels wall is weaken and swollen, experts say it may burst and bleed into the brain, leading to a stroke. Other risk factors includes; weaknesses in the blood vessels in and around the brain, abnormality of the blood vessel walls, blood or bleeding disorders like Haemophilia and sickle cell anaemia can both contribute to decreased levels of blood platelets among others.

To identify brain haemorrhage, neurologists say symptoms can vary depending on the location of the bleeding, the severity of the bleeding, and the amount of tissue affected. Symptoms may develop suddenly or over time or progressively worsen or suddenly appear.

They advised that if a patient develop sudden severe headache, seizures with no previous history of seizures, weakness in an arm or leg, nausea or vomiting, decreased alertness; lethargy, changes in vision, tingling or numbness, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, difficulty swallowing, difficulty writing or reading, loss of fine motor skills, such as hand tremors, loss of coordination, loss of balance, an abnormal sense of taste and loss of consciousness, there is need for him or her to see a doctor.

How Is a Brain Hemorrhage Treated?

Doctors may run a variety of imaging tests, such as a CT scan, which can reveal internal bleeding or blood accumulation, or an MRI. A neurological exam or eye exam, which can show swelling of the optic nerve, may also be performed. Blood tests and a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) may also be needed.

Treatment for bleeding in the brain depends on the location, cause, and extent of the haemorrhage. Surgery may be needed to alleviate swelling and prevent bleeding.

Recovery and possible complications:

How well a patient responds to a brain haemorrhage depends on the size of the haemorrhage and the amount of swelling. Some patients recover completely. There could be possible complications like stroke, loss of brain function, or side effects from medications or treatments. Death is possible, and may quickly occur despite prompt medical treatment.

Prevention: Because the majority of brain haemorrhages are associated with specific risk factors, you can minimize your risk in the following ways:

Treat high blood pressure. The single most important thing you can do is control yours through diet, exercise and medication. Don’t smoke. Don’t use drugs. Cocaine, for example, can increase the risk of bleeding in the brain. Drive carefully, and wear your seat belt.

If you ride a motorcycle, always wear a helmet. Investigate corrective surgery. If you suffer from abnormalities, such as aneurysms, surgery may help to prevent future bleeding.