Recovery of consciousness from brainstem hemorrhage takes several days.

Written by Chen Yu Fei

Neurosurgery

Updated on April 19, 2025

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For patients with brainstem hemorrhage, how many days it takes to regain consciousness depends on the location of the bleeding and the amount of bleeding. If the amount of bleeding is small, the patient's consciousness often gradually awakens within 24 to 48 hours. There may be short-term language impairments, manifesting as unclear speech, difficulty speaking, articulation disorders, and accompanied by significant swallowing difficulties, indicated by choking on water, but this will gradually improve over time. If the bleeding is substantial, it often leads to the patient being in a coma for a long time, and may even enter a vegetative state for an extended period, unable to regain autonomous consciousness.

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Written by Jiang Fang Shuai

Neurosurgery

47sec

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How long is the period of brainstem hemorrhagic edema?

Brainstem hemorrhage, like hemorrhages in other parts of the brain, also has a period of cerebral edema. Cerebral edema is primarily caused by direct injury to brain tissue following hemorrhage, local ischemic and hypoxic changes, local metabolic products, and some damage to the vascular endothelium. Generally, the edema becomes apparent three days after the hemorrhage, peaks between three to seven days, begins to subside after ten days, and completely resolves around fourteen to fifteen days. However, there are exceptions, such as cases where edema occurs shortly after injury or within a few hours, and the peak period of edema lasts for several weeks, or even up to a month without complete resolution.

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Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

1min 2sec

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Does brainstem hemorrhage easily recur?

The main cause of brainstem hemorrhage is hypertension, which can lead to hyalinization in the arteries that supply the brainstem, and even the formation of small aneurysms. Under the impact of blood flow, these are prone to rupture, leading to hemorrhage in the brainstem. This is the primary mechanism of onset for brainstem hemorrhage. If the brainstem hemorrhage is caused by hypertension, maintaining good control of blood pressure and keeping it below the ideal level of 140-90 mmHg can prevent frequent recurrence, so there is no need for excessive worry, but it is crucial to monitor blood pressure regularly. Additionally, brainstem hemorrhages can also be caused by other reasons, such as cavernous hemangiomas or arteriovenous malformations. If brainstem hemorrhage is caused by these diseases, and the abnormal vessels are not surgically removed, recurrence is likely. Removing these abnormal vessels can greatly reduce the likelihood of recurrent brainstem hemorrhages.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

59sec

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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

1min

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The acute phase of brainstem hemorrhage lasts for several days.

The acute phase of brainstem hemorrhage generally lasts about two to three weeks, or 14 to 21 days, but it also needs to be specifically assessed based on the different conditions of the patient. If the hemorrhage in the brainstem is relatively severe and located in an important functional area, then the critical period may be appropriately extended. For example, if the hemorrhage is in the medulla oblongata and has already caused respiratory and circulatory failure, as well as unstable vital signs and a comatose state, then the critical period could even reach about one to two months, because it is often necessary to use a ventilator to assist breathing, and the patient's comatose state does not allow for full consciousness. However, for some brainstem hemorrhages, such as a small hemorrhage in the pons that only causes the clinical symptom of headache in the patient, the critical period is generally no more than two weeks. Thus, each patient's condition is different.

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Written by Tang Li Li

Neurology

1min 1sec

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Is it dangerous to have a high fever with brainstem hemorrhage?

Brainstem hemorrhage is dangerous if accompanied by high fever. Brainstem hemorrhage itself is a severe disease, and patients often experience disturbances of consciousness, coma, and paralysis of limbs. The hemorrhage can damage the center that regulates body temperature, leading to central fever. After falling into a coma, patients may encounter problems with expectoration and swallowing, which can easily lead to aspiration pneumonia and hypostatic pneumonia. Infections can also cause high fever. Patients need to use diuretics to reduce intracranial pressure, but excessive dehydration can also lead to dehydration fever. High fever exacerbates the consumption of the patient's body, increasing the physical burden and potentially leading to multiple organ failure. It is necessary to control the fever as soon as possible, using both physical cooling methods and medication.