Is there any sensation before brainstem hemorrhage?

Written by Tang Li Li
Neurology
Updated on April 22, 2025
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The most common cause of brainstem hemorrhage is generally hypertension. The mechanism by which hypertension causes bleeding is chronic long-term hypertension, leading to hyaline degeneration of the small arterial walls. Under the force of blood flow, these walls are prone to bulging, leading to the formation of microaneurysms. When blood pressure fluctuates sharply, especially when there is a significant increase, it can cause these microaneurysms to rupture, leading to bleeding. Thus, if there are noticeable symptoms before the hemorrhage, they are mostly due to a sudden increase in blood pressure. Patients often experience dizziness or headaches, sometimes along with blurred vision, and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, but most patients may not feel any abnormalities before the bleeding occurs.

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Written by Tang Ying
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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How to exercise swallowing after a brainstem hemorrhage

Patients with brainstem hemorrhage often have critical conditions. Therefore, after stabilizing their condition, their swallowing function is usually severely impaired. During swallowing training, besides the common use of medications and acupuncture treatment, professional swallowing therapists in a formal rehabilitation medicine department conduct training on swallowing functions. Before starting swallowing training, an accurate assessment of swallowing function is typically conducted first. Swallowing disorders are divided into four stages: the preparatory stage, the oral stage, the pharyngeal stage, and the esophageal stage. In the preparatory stage, coordinating the consistency of the food can aid the patient's swallowing. Proper stimulation of the oral and pharyngeal muscles, including stimulation of the tongue and pharyngeal wall muscles, cold therapy, tongue pressure training, and training of the muscles around the mouth, are used to help restore swallowing function. During the esophageal stage, when the patient's condition has stabilized, videofluoroscopic swallow study can be carried out to assess specific issues in the esophageal stage, which are often related to cricopharyngeal dysfunction. Esophageal dilation with a balloon may also be used. With these accurate assessments and appropriate training, the swallowing function of patients generally shows significant improvement. Therefore, when patients experience these swallowing dysfunctions, it is best to seek treatment from a formal rehabilitation medicine department for better care.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Can brainstem hemorrhage be cured?

For brainstem hemorrhages that have already occurred, the patient should be immediately taken to a local hospital. Initially, a cranial CT scan should be performed to determine the location and amount of bleeding in the brainstem. For minor brainstem hemorrhages, it is recommended to first use medication for treatment. This involves administering drugs that stop bleeding, enhance brain function, promote dehydration, and nourish the nerves, aiding in the gradual cessation of bleeding and the absorption of cerebral hematomas. Most patients can achieve very good treatment outcomes. However, if the brainstem hemorrhage is extensive, it often leads to severe brainstem dysfunction and typically has a poor prognosis.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Precursor warnings of brainstem hemorrhage

The warning signs of brainstem hemorrhage must be analyzed according to the situation. Clinically, many people have induced brainstem hemorrhage due to straining during defecation or becoming emotionally agitated during arguments. It is quite common for someone to suddenly collapse and become unconscious after an argument, which is likely indicative of a brainstem hemorrhage. Additionally, one may experience severe headaches without any obvious triggers, along with numbness or weakness in the limbs and speech impairments. Furthermore, signs of coma often appear. If a patient's coma is accompanied by pinpoint pupils, it is crucial to get them to a hospital for appropriate examinations immediately, as this is very likely a precursor to brainstem hemorrhage.

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Written by Li Qiang
Intensive Care Unit
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Where to massage for brainstem hemorrhage

Brainstem hemorrhage is a very serious condition. Once brainstem hemorrhage occurs, it can affect many vital centers, completely depending on the amount of bleeding. Even a few milliliters of bleeding in the brainstem can lead to very serious consequences, including the sudden cessation of breathing and heartbeat. Therefore, at this time, giving massages to someone with a brainstem hemorrhage is of little value, especially during the acute phase, as it is not suitable to engage them in physical activities. However, once the bleeding has stabilized and is not extensive, and if the person still has breathing and heartbeat functions, at this point, some passive limb movements can be performed. Turning the patient over can be beneficial for limb function, prevent muscle atrophy, maintain limb function, and also help prevent complications such as deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Key Points in Nursing Care for Patients with Brainstem Hemorrhage

For patients with brainstem hemorrhage, due to the special location of the bleeding which affects crucial neural functions, these patients often need to be transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) for examination and treatment. In the ICU, close observation of changes in the patient's condition is essential, along with monitoring vital signs including blood pressure, respiration, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation. Nursing care should focus on the patient's pupils, consciousness, and limb activity. It is necessary to manage and stabilize the patient’s blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids through medication, regularly draw blood, and analyze the patient’s biochemical system to prevent severe water and electrolyte disturbances.