A cerebral edema is a very serious pathological condition that can develop due to infection, disruption of the blood vessels or trauma.
What happens when the brain is swollen?
The accumulation of excess fluid in the cells of the brain and spinal cord causes swelling, which increases intracranial pressure (ICP), and the brain volume increases.
The process develops very quickly - in the first hours after damage to brain cells (due to trauma, intoxication, ischemia, etc.) in the intercellular space, the filtration of the liquid part of the plasma increases. The initial edema (cytotoxic) develops due to a metabolic disorder in the affected area of the brain. Six hours after the injury, the condition is aggravated by vasogenous edema, which is caused by a slowing of the blood flow and stasis of small vessels. As a result of edema, ICP rises, which causes symptoms of cerebral edema.
How does the cerebral edema manifest?
The first signs of brain edema usually develop immediately after cell damage. The severity depends on the causes of edema - they will be discussed below.
The patient is observed:
- headache;
- nausea, vomiting;
- numbness of the neck or pain;
- uneven breathing;
- dizziness;
- visual impairment;
- memory losses;
- imbalance;
- difficulty in speaking;
- Stupor (decreased level of consciousness);
- loss of consciousness;
- convulsions.
Diagnostics
When the first symptoms of cerebral edema appear, the doctor should be called immediately.
To make a diagnosis, a neurological examination is usually performed, and the cervico-head spine is examined. The size and localization of the edema is determined by computer or magnetic resonance imaging. To determine the possible causes of cerebral edema, a blood test is performed.
Why does the brain swelling?
Damage to brain cells causing swelling can be triggered by a number of reasons.
- Craniocerebral injury - damage to intracranial structures by mechanical means due to a fall, accident, stroke. As a rule, trauma is complicated by the wounding of the brain with bone fragments.
- Infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites (meningitis, encephalitis, toxoplasmosis) and leading to inflammation of the membranes of the brain.
- Subural abscess - as a complication of another disease (meningitis, for example), this purulent infection prevents the outflow of fluid from the brain tissue.
- Tumor - with increasing neoplasms, the area of the brain is squeezed, which leads to a violation of blood circulation and, as a consequence, swelling.
The number of causes of cerebral edema is the difference in elevation. So, when climbing more than 1500 km above sea level, an acute form of mountain sickness accompanied by edema is often observed.
Edema of the brain after a stroke
Often, edema develops due to a stroke.
With ischemic stroke, blood circulation in the brain is disrupted due to the formation of a thrombus. Having not received the necessary amount of oxygen, the cells die, and the edema of the brain develops.
With hemorrhagic stroke, the blood vessels of the brain are damaged, and intracranial hemorrhage leads to an increase in ICP. The cause of a stroke in this case may be head trauma, high blood pressure, taking certain medications or congenital malformations.
Complications and prevention
Sometimes the swelling of the brain, the symptoms of which have been left in the distant past, can remind oneself of a disturbance in sleep and motor activity, headaches, absent-mindedness, depression and a disruption of communicative abilities.
To protect yourself from cerebral edema, you should avoid injuries - wear a protective helmet, fasten your seat belts, observe precautions when practicing extreme sports. Rising in the mountains, it is necessary to give the body time for acclimatization. You should also monitor your blood pressure and stop smoking.