Internal bleeding can occur in any part of the brain. Blood may accumulate in the brain tissues or in the space between the brain and the membranes covering the brain (subarachnoid space). The bleeding may be isolated to part of one cerebral hemisphere (lobar intracerebral hemorrhage) or it may occur in other brain structures, such as the thalamus, basal ganglia, pons, or cerebellum (deep intracerebral hemorrhage).

Intracerebral hemorrhage can be caused by trauma (brain injury) or abnormalities of the blood vessels (aneurysm or angioma). When it is not caused by one of these conditions, it is most commonly associated with high blood pressure (hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage). In some cases, no cause can be found.

Blood irritates the brain tissues, causing swelling (cerebral edema). It can collect into a mass called a hematoma. Both cerebral edema and the presence of a hematoma within the brain will put increasing pressure on brain tissues and can rapidly destroy them.

Symptoms vary depending on the location of the bleed and the amount of brain tissue affected. Symptoms usually develop suddenly, without warning, often during activity. They may occasionally develop in a stepwise, episodic manner or they may get progressively worse.

Other factors that raise the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage include the following:

• Blood and bleeding disorders
  • Disseminated intravascular coagulation
  • Hemophilia
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Leukemia
  • Decreased levels of blood platelets
• Use of aspirin or anticoagulant medications (blood thinners)
• Liver disease (associated with increased bleeding risk in general)
• Cerebral amyloid or brain tumors

Premature infants (born earlier than 35 weeks gestation) will sometimes have bleeding into the ventricles (fluid-filled spaces) in the brain. This type of bleed is called intra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH). This occurs in the first day or so of life and is usually not preventable. The outcome is variable, depending on the severity of bleed and ranges from no apparent damage to severe disability. Diagnosis is by ultrasound and usually done in an intensive care nursery.

• Headache
  • May occur when lying flat
  • May awaken patient from sleep
  • May increase with change in position
  • May increase with bending, straining, and coughing
• Nausea, vomiting
• Change in alertness (level of consciousness)
  • Apathetic, withdrawn
  • Sleepy, lethargic, somnolent, stuporous
  • Unconscious, comatose
• Vision changes
  • Any change in vision
  • Decreased vision, loss of all or part of vision
  • Pupils different size
  • Uncontrollable eye movements
  • Eyelid drooping
• Sensation changes
  • Decreased sensation
  • Numbness, tingling
  • Abnormal sensations
  • Facial paralysis
• Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty writing or reading
• Movement changes
  • Weakness of any body part
  • Difficulty moving any body part
  • Loss of fine motor skills
  • Hand tremor
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of balance
• Seizure
• Abnormal taste

• CBC
• Platelet count
• Bleeding time
• Prothrombin time (PT) or partial thromboplastin time (PTT)
• Liver function tests
• Kidney function tests

• Head CT scan (preferred if the bleed is less than 48 hours old)
• Head MRI or MRA
• Angiography of the head (if symptoms allow enough time) to determine whether an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation (abnormal collection of blood vessels) is present

• Hemorrhagic stroke
• Permanent loss of any brain function
• Side effects of medications used to treat the disorder
• Complications of surgery

• Difficulty breathing
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness
• Inability to speak or swallow

Treatment and control of causative and risk-related disorders may reduce the risk of developing intracerebral hemorrhage. High blood pressure should be treated. Do not stop taking medications unless advised to do so by your health care provider.

Known vascular malformations such as an aneurysm can often be treated before they cause bleeding in the brain.