[Medical Q&A] How to quickly identify and seek help for a sudden cerebral hemorrhage?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Liu Huizhen, deputy chief physician of China Rehabilitation Research Center

Symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage usually appear suddenly during emotional excitement or strenuous exercise. At present, as cerebral hemorrhage is younger, a small number of patients also experience it during sleep or rest, often accompanied by a series of obvious abnormal signs. Patients may experience severe headaches, which are usually persistent and unbearable, accompanied by crooked corners of the mouth, drooling, sweating, and irritability. At the same time, (due to different bleeding sites) some patients may also experience dizziness as the first symptom. Patients may feel unsteady standing, balance disorders, a sense of leaning to the side, unsteady walking and other motion sickness. In addition, vomiting is also an important signal of cerebral hemorrhage, especially when vomiting is in the form of jets, you should be highly vigilant. Some patients may also experience symptoms such as numbness of limbs, slurred speech, inconvenience in movement, and even hemiplegia. If the amount of bleeding is large, the patient may also experience serious symptoms such as sudden collapse, unconsciousness, drowsiness, obvious snoring and difficulty in waking up, and frequent vomiting. Once these symptoms appear, the possibility of cerebral hemorrhage should be considered immediately.

After recognizing the symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage, rapid and correct emergency treatment measures are essential. First, call the emergency number 120 as soon as possible, and tell the operator the patient's specific location and general symptoms clearly and accurately so that emergency personnel can quickly arrive at the scene and make appropriate treatment preparations. At the same time, stay calm and avoid excessive panic that may delay treatment. The patient should be laid flat as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary movement. Untie tight clothing to ensure smooth breathing. If the patient vomits, the head should be tilted to one side to prevent vomitus from blocking the airway and causing suffocation. You can also use a towel soaked in cold water to apply to the patient's forehead to relieve the discomfort caused by cerebral hemorrhage.

After arriving at the hospital, the doctor will conduct further examinations and treatments based on the patient's specific conditions, including a head CT scan to determine whether it is a cerebral hemorrhage, as well as the site and amount of bleeding, administering dehydration and intracranial pressure-reducing drugs to reduce cerebral edema, and performing surgical treatment to remove hematomas if necessary.