What Is A Subdural Hematoma And Why Does It Occur?

A subdural hematoma is a collection of blood between the surface of the brain and its outer covering,  known as the dura mater. Its appearance can cause different complications, which if not cared for, can lead to death.

Detecting a subdural hematoma requires a CT or MRI scan. However, paying attention to some specific symptoms can also alert us to their presence:

• Confusing language and inability to pronounce words correctly.
• Problems with balance and difficulty walking.
• Headache with nausea and vomiting.
• Seizures or loss of consciousness
• Weakness or numbness of the extremities.

Faced with any of these symptoms it is better that we go to the doctor or the emergency room as soon as possible. A subdural hematoma is an emergency situation that must be taken care of as soon as possible.

Causes of a subdural hematoma

We have already seen the symptoms that warn of the presence of a subdural hematoma. However, below we are going to look at the possible causes that can cause it.

Severe head injury

One of the main causes is severe head trauma. Due to a traffic accident, a physical assault, a fall in which we have hit our head or a work incident, we may have done ourselves much more damage than we thought.

Subdural hematomas produced by these circumstances can disappear spontaneously.

However, those who don’t will not show any symptoms until weeks later. Older people who fall frequently are at higher risk for subdural hematoma. Repeated falls can lead to repetitive head trauma with serious consequences.

Anticoagulant medications

Some anticoagulant medications, such as heparin or warfarin, can promote the development of a subdural hematoma. These drugs are intended to prevent blood clots.

If an individual takes these medications and falls, the risk of bruising increases. The reason is that after the blow and the venous rupture that it will trigger, the blood will not stop. Therefore, it will accumulate in the subdural space, increasing its size rapidly.

The aging

Older people are not only at risk for subdural hematoma from falls. There is another reason why they are more susceptible.

Due to aging, the brain shrinks  causing it to pull on the dura, pulling it towards itself. This causes the blood vessels to stretch, making them more fragile and prone to possible tears.

Diseases

Certain diseases such as cancer or liver disease can weaken blood vessels. This makes them much more vulnerable to suffering a subdural hematoma in the event of an accident, fall or blow.

If we have felt identified with some of the mentioned causes and we have nausea, headache, fainting or balance problems, it would be advisable to visit the doctor. In this way, we would rule out a possible subdural hematoma.

Subdural hematomas in children

In the event that a child has a subdural hematoma and the parents are nervous or incoherent in their speech, one should immediately suspect possible child abuse.

Repeated blows to children can lead to such a bruise over time. Therefore, doctors will always investigate and analyze the situation to rule out any possible suspicion of abuse.

In the event that there is no indication of abuse within the home , an attempt will be made to discover if the child is a victim of bullying or has recently participated in a fight. A fall or a blow with some type of instrument can cause a subdural hematoma.

Despite this, we have to bear in mind that children tend to fall regularly and hit themselves quite a bit when they play. Therefore, once we have discarded all the previous options, we can realize and verify that the hematoma is the product of a circumstance unrelated to any type of abuse.

Remember that with any suspicion that we may have a subdural hematoma, we must ask for help as soon as possible. If we don’t, the pressure in the brain will increase in such a way that it will cause us to go into a coma. In the most serious cases, it can lead to death.