Not all headaches and fever can be cured just by enduring them. When you suddenly experience severe headaches in the head accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, be alert to the possibility of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Many people are unfamiliar with subarachnoid hemorrhage, so when they experience severe pain in the head, they choose to take painkillers to relieve it. If medication fails to relieve the pain, they go to the hospital for examination, only to be informed that they have subarachnoid hemorrhage.
So, what exactly is subarachnoid hemorrhage? Why did you get this' strange disease '? Next, this article will take everyone to uncover the mysterious veil of subarachnoid hemorrhage!
1、 What is subarachnoid hemorrhage? Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a series of symptoms caused by blood flowing into the subarachnoid space due to various reasons in the body. Subarachnoid hemorrhage can be classified into two types: spontaneous (cerebral vascular rupture) and traumatic (trauma).
2、 Symptoms of subarachnoid hemorrhage
Subarachnoid hemorrhage has obvious symptoms, and the most typical symptom is sudden and severe pain in the head. This type of headache often has a tearing sensation, like a thunderbolt, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, stiffness and pain in the neck. Some severe patients may also feel symptoms such as blurred consciousness, convulsions, and even death.
3、 Causes of subarachnoid hemorrhage
(1) Intracranial aneurysms: accounting for more than half of subarachnoid hemorrhage;
(2) Cerebrovascular malformation: more common in adolescents, usually manifested as arterial malformation;
(3) Cerebrovascular malformations and congenital intracranial aneurysms;
(4) Hypertension, intracranial tumors, atherosclerosis and other diseases are also one of the causes of subarachnoid hemorrhage;
(5) Bad lifestyle habits can also easily trigger subarachnoid hemorrhage, such as long-term smoking and alcohol abuse, emotional instability, and frequent overwork.
(6) Abnormal cerebral vascular network disease.
4、 What tests can diagnose subarachnoid hemorrhage
(1) Head CT: Head CT is the first choice for diagnosing subarachnoid hemorrhage because of its relatively high sensitivity, especially in the early stages of bleeding, where the probability of detecting disease through head CT is over 90%. Head CT can not only clearly determine the location of aneurysms, but also assess bleeding volume and secondary bleeding.
(2) Magnetic resonance imaging: If the onset period exceeds 4 days, magnetic resonance imaging has higher sensitivity and value in the examination of subarachnoid hemorrhage, especially after 20 days of bleeding. The examination effect of magnetic resonance imaging is very good.
(3) Cerebral angiography: When physical conditions and other factors are met, early cerebral angiography examination can be performed on the entire brain to clarify the cause of bleeding, and based on this, treatment methods can be formulated and prognosis can be checked. But cerebral angiography has certain sequelae, such as further damage to neurological function, so to avoid dangerous periods, it can be performed 3 weeks after bleeding or within 3 days of bleeding.
(4) CTA examination: CTA examination is commonly used for regular follow-up of patients with aneurysms, as well as for those with a family history of aneurysms, and when DSA (measuring blood flow velocity) cannot be performed, it can be used as an alternative. CTA examination is not only minimally invasive but also quick to perform, especially for critically ill patients, making it very suitable.
5、 What should I do if I experience subarachnoid hemorrhage? (1) If there are suspicious symptoms of subarachnoid hemorrhage, such as sudden severe headache accompanied by nausea and vomiting, I should actively seek medical attention at the hospital.
(2) To prevent secondary bleeding and cerebral vasospasm, it is important to identify the cause as soon as possible.
(3) Doctors can develop treatment plans based on the patient's condition, such as surgical treatment or conservative treatment.
(4) The patient should stay in bed in pairs for more than one month, and can sit on their back to facilitate smooth breathing. During this period, the patient's vital signs should be closely monitored, and absolute bed rest should be maintained for 4-6 weeks. Changes in vital signs and the nervous system should be closely monitored.
(5) Patients should maintain emotional stability, avoid excessive exertion and large emotional fluctuations, eat more vegetables and coarse grains, keep their stool moist, prevent constipation, and also prevent various infections such as urinary tract infections and lung infections.
6、 How to prevent subarachnoid hemorrhage
(1) Control risk factors: quit smoking and alcohol, maintain stable blood pressure, balance work and rest in daily life, and avoid accumulated illness.
(2) For patients with intracranial arteriovenous malformations, surgical treatment should be actively carried out after diagnosis.
(3) For patients with ruptured aneurysms and bleeding, regular follow-up visits should be conducted under the guidance of a doctor to prevent recurrence.
(4) Frequent dizziness and headache can be diagnosed through CT examination to determine the cause, such as the presence of an aneurysm.
The above is the relevant knowledge about subarachnoid hemorrhage. When there is severe pain in the head, do not forcefully carry it. Immediately go to the hospital for examination to rule out the possibility of subarachnoid hemorrhage and avoid endangering life safety.