Cerebral edema is a serious condition caused by excess fluid in the brain, which can lead to brain damage or death. Treatment involves reducing pressure and removing fluid, and it is important to seek medical attention if symptoms such as confusion or numbness occur after a head injury.
Cerebral edema is a condition characterized by the presence of a large amount of fluid in the brain. If left untreated, it can be fatal or cause severe brain damage, and the quicker a patient is treated, the better their chances of recovery. Because this condition can be extremely serious, evaluations to check for signs are common when patients are brought in for a head injury, because healthcare professionals want to catch it as soon as possible.
When a patient has cerebral edema, there is much more fluid in the skull than there should be. This causes the brain to swell, which has a number of consequences. The swelling can impair blood flow to the brain, just like water won’t flow through a pipe that’s stepped on. Decreased blood flow to the brain can cause brain damage or death. The increased pressure can also force the brain to move in the skull, which it’s not designed to do.
Treatment involves relieving the pressure in the skull, removing the fluid, and finding the root cause of the problem to see if it can be prevented from happening again. The use of corticosteroids can help reduce swelling, while diuretics will help the body express excess water, further reducing swelling. Sometimes, surgical means are also used to relieve pressure on the brain, although this can be dangerous.
People who have sustained head injuries are at increased risk of developing brain edema, especially if the injuries were severe. The brain doesn’t react well to being pushed around or slammed into things, and may respond by starting to hold onto water. This condition can also develop at high altitudes, causing so-called high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), a condition that can quickly become fatal if a climber does not descend promptly.
Someone who is developing this problem may demonstrate an altered state of consciousness, confusion, dizziness, nausea, incoordination, or numbness. If someone receives a head injury and develops any of these symptoms, immediate medical attention should be sought. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to brain injuries; medical professionals would much rather watch a healthy patient to ease fears than see a patient when it’s too late.
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