Subdural haematoma

Blood Clot which forms in between skull and brain is called subdural haematoma. It is also called as subdural haemorrhage.
The brain and skull
In the skull, three protective layers that cover the brain are known as meninges. These meninges protect and cushion the brain from any impact caused to the head which can result in colliding of brain within the skull.
There are three different membranes that make meninges. They are:

• Dura mater: outer layer which is beside the skull.
• Arachnoid:  middle layer.
• Pia mater: inner layer, very close to the brain.

Subdural space is the space in between two outer membranes.
Subdural haematoma
When a rupture of blood vessel takes place in subdural space, subdural haematoma occurs. Blood clot is formed by the escaped blood and as the clot gets bigger it presses the brain causing confusion, drowsiness and headaches. There are several ways for the blood vessel to get ruptured. But a head injury is the main cause for occurrence of subdural haematoma.
Types of subdural haematoma
Two types of subdural haematoma:
Acute: normally develops in 48 hours from head injury.
Chronic: normally develops taking more than couple of week’s time from the head injury.

Symptoms

In most of the cases symptoms of subdural haematoma (SDH) appears after a serious injury or blow to the head.
Subdural haematoma symptoms include:

• Headaches,
• Confusion,
• Drowsiness and fatigue,
• Vomiting and nausea,
• Weakness in legs or arms,
• Confused speech,
• Blurred vision

Subdural haematoma is a very severe condition and requires treatment immediately. In case the above mentioned symptoms are developed after you received a blow, you need to check with the doctor immediately. Depending on whether subdural haematoma is chronic or acute, the above mentioned symptoms differ in severity.
Acute subdural haematoma
In case of acute subdural haematoma symptoms normally appears within 48 hours from the head injury. You can feel normal after injury for many hours, once symptoms develop it gets worse resulting in unconsciousness. Sometimes you can fall unconscious immediately after the injury as subdural haematoma develops.
Chronic subdural haematoma
Symptoms of chronic subdural haematoma gradually develop over many months or weeks. The development of symptoms can be very gradual that diagnosing can get difficult. At times chronic subdural haematoma cannot be linked to any specific head injury especially in older people as they use anticoagulant medication or in case alcohol is misused. In such case chronic subdural haematoma is caused by a minor injury which is forgotten till the time symptoms develop.

Causes

When blood vessel in between the brain and skull is ruptured, subdural haematoma occurs. Blood clot is formed by the blood that escapes from ruptured vessels of blood. The size of subdural haematoma increases as the bleeding progresses and takes more space which presses the brains resulting in pressure mounting on the skull. Symptoms like muddled speech, confusion and headaches occur as the brain gets compressed against the skull walls.
What causes a subdural haematoma,
In maximum cases it is due to head injury resulting in large quantities of blood escaping from blood vessels that are torn.
Acute subdural haematomas
Acute subdural haematomas is formed within 48 hours after the head injury caused normally by a blow to the skull. This injury occurs during a road accident or playing an aggressive sport like boxing. This is very common amongst children and babies and men between 24-15 years. As children and babies are more prone to such injuries and lifestyle of some young men put them at high risk of such injuries.
Chronic subdural haematomas
Chronic subdural haematoma takes several months or weeks to develop since this blood clot slowly collects in subdural space. At times even a mild blow can cause this condition which remains untreated or undetected for quite some time. Below mentioned are some factors that are responsible for increasing the possibility to develop chronic subdural haematoma.