Precursor warnings of brainstem hemorrhage

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on March 10, 2025
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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 Tang Li Li
Neurology
1min 31sec home-news-image

What causes fever from brainstem hemorrhage?

Patients with brainstem hemorrhage experience fever generally for the following three reasons: First, infection. Patients with brainstem hemorrhage often have disturbances of consciousness and dysfunction of the throat, and are bedridden, which frequently leads to aspiration pneumonia and hypostatic pneumonia. This is due to weakened ability to clear phlegm, as well as choking caused by saliva and feeding. Additionally, infections can easily occur in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and from skin pressure sores. Second, abnormalities in the temperature set point cause central hyperthermia. In patients with brainstem hemorrhage, the temperature regulation center is damaged. If the temperature regulating center sets the body temperature above 38 degrees Celsius, it often persists and cannot be reduced, and medications are poorly effective in lowering the temperature, necessitating the use of ice packs for physical cooling. Third, patients with brainstem hemorrhage often use large doses of diuretics. Dehydration after diuretic use can put patients in a state of excessive dehydration. If rehydration therapy is not adequately managed, dehydration fever can easily occur.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Brainstem hemorrhage is what?

There are many causes of brainstem hemorrhage, and clinically, it is mostly considered to be caused by hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage. Patients have a history of hypertension and have not received regular and effective antihypertensive treatment, leading to suboptimal blood pressure control. Excessively high blood pressure often results in the weakening or even disappearance of the patient's own vascular regulatory functions. Under certain triggering factors, such as fatigue, exhaustion, mental stress, or overly intense emotions, the blood pressure within the vessels may exceed their own regulatory capabilities, making bleeding more likely. If the bleeding occurs in the brainstem, it manifests as a brainstem hemorrhage. In some patients, brainstem hemorrhages are caused by conditions like cavernous angiomas, aneurysms, or arteriovenous malformations.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Can brainstem hemorrhage be treated abroad?

Patients with brainstem hemorrhage mostly have a risk factor of long-term hypertension, and they usually have poor blood pressure control. This results in small artery lesions, and under emotional excitement or severe fluctuations in blood pressure, bleeding in the brainstem occurs. Brainstem hemorrhage is quite dangerous; many patients who suffer from a significant amount of bleeding in the brainstem can fall into a coma, and some, even if their lives are saved, might end up with paralysis of the limbs or in a vegetative state. Currently, this is a global challenge, and brainstem hemorrhage is generally not advised to be treated surgically. However, some top experts both domestically and internationally have attempted surgical treatment for brainstem hemorrhage, and a portion of patients may see some effects from it, but generally speaking, most hospitals do not advocate for surgical treatment of brainstem hemorrhage. The treatment protocols for brainstem hemorrhage do not vary significantly between countries; the international treatment plans are quite similar.

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Written by Li Qiang
Intensive Care Unit
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Can I drink fish soup with brainstem hemorrhage?

The patient experienced a brainstem hemorrhage, and if the bleeding is extensive, it's possible that the patient could be in a deep coma. In more severe cases, brain death could occur, where the patient would not be able to breathe on their own. Since the pathology mainly occurs in the brain, when the patient is in a coma, they are certainly not able to eat by themselves. At this time, feeding usually involves the insertion of a tube through the nose down to the stomach, called a nasogastric tube. Through this tube, food is delivered directly to the stomach, allowing for gastrointestinal nutrition. Commonly, the gastrointestinal function of such patients remains normal, so it is possible to administer liquid nutrition through the nasogastric tube, such as nutrient solutions or fish soup, without any issues.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Can brainstem hemorrhage be cured?

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.