Subarachnoid hemorrhage facts for kids
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a type of bleeding that happens in a special space around your brain. This space is called the subarachnoid space, and it's located between two protective layers of tissue that cover your brain. Think of it like a cushion filled with fluid that protects your brain, and SAH is when blood leaks into that cushion.
When this bleeding happens, it can be very serious. It's often caused by a problem with a blood vessel in the brain, like a weak spot that bursts.
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What Is a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage?
A subarachnoid hemorrhage happens when blood escapes from a blood vessel and flows into the subarachnoid space. This space normally contains a clear fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which helps protect your brain and spinal cord. When blood mixes with this fluid, it can cause pressure and irritation around the brain.
Why Does It Happen?
Most of the time, SAH is caused by something called an aneurysm. An aneurysm is like a small, weak balloon that forms on the wall of a blood vessel. If this balloon bursts, blood spills out. Other less common causes can include problems with blood vessels that are tangled or malformed.
What Are the Signs?
The most common sign of a subarachnoid hemorrhage is a sudden, very severe headache. People often describe it as the "worst headache of their life."
Other Important Symptoms
Besides the headache, someone with SAH might also experience:
- Feeling sick to their stomach and vomiting.
- Losing consciousness or feeling very confused.
- A fever.
- Sometimes, seizures (when the brain's electrical activity goes haywire).
- Stiffness or pain in the neck. This happens because the blood irritates the protective layers around the brain and spinal cord.
If you or someone you know suddenly gets a very bad headache along with any of these other signs, it's important to get medical help right away.
How Doctors Find It
Doctors use special tests to find out if someone has a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Imaging Tests
One common test is a CT scan of the head. This scan uses X-rays to create detailed pictures of the brain and can often show if there's blood in the subarachnoid space. Sometimes, doctors might also use an MRI scan, which uses strong magnets and radio waves to create even more detailed images.
Other Tests
If the CT scan isn't clear, doctors might do a lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap. This involves carefully taking a small sample of the cerebrospinal fluid from the lower back to check for blood. They might also do an angiogram, which is a test that uses special dye and X-rays to look at the blood vessels in the brain and find the source of the bleeding.
Treatment and Recovery
Treating a subarachnoid hemorrhage is very serious and often involves surgery or other procedures to stop the bleeding and prevent more problems.
Stopping the Bleeding
If an aneurysm is found, doctors might try to "clip" it (place a tiny metal clip on its neck to close it off) or "coil" it (fill it with tiny platinum coils to block blood flow into it). These procedures help prevent the aneurysm from bleeding again.
After Treatment
After the initial treatment, people who have had a SAH need a lot of care to recover. They might need to stay in the hospital for a while. Recovery can take time, and some people might need help with things like physical therapy or speech therapy to get back to normal.
Images for kids
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ECG changes resembling those of an STEMI in a woman who had an acute CNS injury from a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
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An arteriogram showing a partially coiled aneurysm (indicated by yellow arrows) of the posterior cerebral artery with a residual aneurysmal sac. The person was a 34-year-old woman initially treated for a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
See also
In Spanish: Hemorragia subaracnoidea para niños
