Stroke, Part One: A Patient Guide

Symptoms of an ICH

Symptoms occur rapidly and are not activity-related, but instead depend on the severity and location of bleeding in the brain. Some of the symptoms for ICH are similar to those for an ischemic stroke. According to the NSA, some or all of the following symptoms may occur before an ICH:

• Loss of consciousness, either total or partial.
• A sudden, severe headache.
• Weakness or numbness in the face or in the extremities.
• Paralysis (may be on one side of the body only).

Nausea and vomiting may occur with any of these symptoms.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage

Less than 10 percent of all strokes are caused by SAHs. Although the ICH and SAH are similar, the cause, brain area, risk factors and symptoms are very different. During a SAH hemorrhage, blood leaks into the layer between the brain and the skull, without entering the brain itself, and puts pressure on the brain. A SAH may be caused by a head injury, but most commonly occurs when the wall of a blood vessel becomes thin and either tears or bursts (sometimes called an aneurysm).

SAH occurs most frequently in women, middle-aged people, African-Americans, and in those with a family history of ruptured aneurysms. Alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking also increase the risk for SAH. Overall, the symptoms for a SAH are different from other types of strokes.

Symptoms of a SAH

• An inability to tolerate light.
• A stiff neck.
• A severe headache.
• Fainting (when noted with a severe headache).

Nausea and vomiting also may occur with the above symptoms.

Effects of stroke on the brain

The brain is divided into three main sections: the cerebellum, the cerebrum -- divided into the left and right hemispheres, and the brain stem. The brain controls our every-day functioning and abilities, so the effects of a stroke can be devastating, ranging from temporary or mild to permanent or severely debilitating. The neurological deficits that result from a stroke are directly related to the area within the brain where the injury occurred and to the magnitude of the actual brain damage.