Can brainstem hemorrhage be cured?

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on February 28, 2025
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Whether brainstem hemorrhage can be cured must be determined based on clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and patient examination. Generally speaking, if the symptoms of brainstem hemorrhage are relatively mild, such as headache, dizziness, without the occurrence of limb weakness, hemiplegia, epilepsy, etc., it is generally curable in the later stages without significant residual effects. However, in actual life, some cases of brainstem hemorrhage can be severe, even causing disturbances in consciousness, coma; or leading to abnormal breathing and heart rate, causing death. Therefore, it must be judged based on the situation at the time.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How is brainstem hemorrhage treated?

Brainstem hemorrhage is extremely dangerous and must be treated as soon as possible. The treatment plan mainly includes: the patient must rest in bed, avoid emotional stimulation, ensure smooth bowel movements, and must strengthen turning over and patting the back to prevent serious complications such as bedsores and pulmonary infections. In terms of medication, it mainly involves providing drugs that protect brain cells and nourish brain nerves. Additionally, because patients with brainstem hemorrhage have high intracranial pressure, it is necessary to administer dehydrating drugs to reduce intracranial pressure. Moreover, once the patient's vital signs stabilize, treatments such as acupuncture and rehabilitation training are needed to promote the recovery of neural functions. If the patient experiences respiratory failure, it is necessary to promptly use a ventilator for treatment. Furthermore, patients with brainstem hemorrhage who are bedridden for a long period can develop complications such as pulmonary infections and urinary system infections. If these complications occur, timely use of antibiotics is necessary to control the complications.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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What causes brainstem hemorrhage?

In clinical practice, the main factor causing brainstem hemorrhage is hypertension. Some secondary factors include diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking, drinking, and other unhealthy lifestyle habits. These factors combined can more easily lead to brainstem hemorrhage. Among them, hypertension has the most significant impact. Continuous rise or fluctuation of blood pressure can easily cause vascular fluctuations, especially damaging the inner lining of the vessels and leading to arteriosclerosis. The brainstem is supplied by the basilar artery, and the pontine arteries branch vertically from the brainstem. When blood pressure rises, it seldom reduces the impact on the vessels and can directly cause the vessels to rupture, resulting in bleeding in the brainstem, which is the primary cause. Therefore, it is crucial to strictly control blood pressure in patients with brainstem hemorrhage to reduce the likelihood of recurrence later.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Symptoms of brainstem hemorrhage

The symptoms of brainstem hemorrhage can vary from mild to severe, depending on the specific presentation of the patient. For instance, in milder cases, symptoms may include simple headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting without other clinical symptoms, which can often be easily distinguished from cervical spondylosis. Therefore, timely clinical examinations are necessary to confirm these conditions, which are generally mild and usually do not threaten life. However, symptoms might gradually worsen, manifesting as numbness in the limbs and speech impairments, among others. Some individuals may experience seizures, characterized by convulsions of the limbs, frothing at the mouth, etc. If the hemorrhage becomes more severe, it can compress more brainstem neurons, leading to coma, lethargy, and potentially severe outcomes like dilated pupils, and sudden cessation of breathing and circulation.

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Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
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Is a brainstem hemorrhage serious?

Brainstem hemorrhage is a type of cerebral hemorrhage, occurring within the brainstem, which is the central hub of human life. Thus, once a brainstem hemorrhage occurs, the condition becomes extremely complicated and severe, with very high mortality and disability rates. Clinically, brainstem hemorrhages of less than three milliliters have a mortality rate close to 70%. Those exceeding five milliliters have a mortality rate close to 90%, and hemorrhages over ten milliliters are invariably fatal. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend in brainstem hemorrhages, affecting younger populations. This is mainly due to high work stress, uncontrolled diet, lack of exercise, and notably, a lack of awareness and attention to hypertension among young people, which ultimately leads to brainstem hemorrhage. Brainstem hemorrhage is a very dangerous disease.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How to administer first aid for brainstem hemorrhage

For patients with brainstem hemorrhage, once signs of brainstem hemorrhage are detected, the patient should be sent to the local hospital immediately for an emergency head CT scan to help determine the location and severity of the hemorrhage. Due to its special location, brainstem hemorrhage is often difficult to treat surgically in most cases. Once brainstem hemorrhage occurs, the patient should first be transferred to the intensive care unit for close monitoring of vital signs. At the same time, administer medications to stop bleeding, enhance brain function, nourish nerves, promote dehydration, and reduce intracranial pressure, while carefully observing changes in the patient's condition. During treatment, strictly prevent and treat various comorbidities or complications. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician and do not self-medicate.)