Bleeding in the brain - Symptoms of a subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Introduction
- Symptoms of a subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Causes of subarachnoid haemorrhages
- Diagnosing a subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Treating subarachnoid haemorrhages
- Complications of a subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Recovering from subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Preventing subarachnoid haemorrhage
- 'After my brain injury, there were suddenly men everywhere who I fancied'
A subarachnoid haemorrhage sometimes happens during physical effort or straining – such as coughing, going to the toilet, lifting something heavy or having sex.
There are usually no warning signs.
The main symptoms of a subarachnoid haemorrhage include:
- a sudden agonising headache, which is often described as being similar to a sudden hit on the head, resulting in a blinding pain unlike anything experienced before
- stiff neck
- feeling and being sick
- sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- blurred or double vision
- confusion
- stroke-like symptoms, such as slurred speech and weakness on one side of the body
- loss of consciousness or convulsions (uncontrollable shaking)
A subarachnoid haemorrhage is a medical emergency. Dial 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance if you, or someone in your care, has these symptoms.
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