Last Updated on January 29, 2023 by Tabraiz
When an artery in the brain becomes blocked by a blood clot, the blood clot has formed because a blood vessel in the brain has ruptured and filled with blood. Lack of oxygen to the brain can result from this. As a result, brain cells may die or get damaged.
Some people may have a symptom-free minor episode, while others may go on to develop severe consequences like seizures or even die as a result of this occurrence. But even before these things take place, you may encounter certain warning indications.
You should get treatment for a blood clot in the brain if you experience any of the signs listed above. You can take the treatment from Neurology hospital in Jaipur or from ENT Hospital in Jaipur.
Blood clots are clusters of blood that develop in response to injury in order to stem further bleeding. However, this blood flow might be obstructed if a clot forms inside your blood arteries. It has the potential to be quite harmful. Both thrombosis and embolism are examples of blood clots.
Let’s check through the literature on these strokes to learn more about what causes them and how they may be treated.
Clots of Blood, Their Varieties
When a blood artery in the body gets injured and filled with blood, a condition known as thrombosis occurs. This might be the result of trauma or another health issue. In this case, the clots in question are not moving.
The medical term meaning when something lodges in an artery, preventing blood flow, is called an embolism. A blood clot, clotting substance, or even tissue can cause this if they shut off the blood supply to an organ. It is common for these clots to disperse to other parts of the brain.
Signs You Might Have a Brain Clot
Experiencing severe and persistent headaches that don’t go away with sleep is possible. The brain can still register pain and suffering even though the body is at rest. Blood clot symptoms might include sudden onset of headaches, pressure in the head, and numbness in the face and body.
Sudden problems, such as slurred speech – if your brain suffers damage from a lack of oxygen, your speech may become slurred. It’s possible that you’ll start speaking more slowly, or perhaps slur. A blood clot in the brain may be the cause of your speech difficulties.
Vision problems one of the first signs of a brain clot is vision problems. Your vision may blur as a result of oxygen deprivation in the brain. It’s possible that what you’re seeing in front of you is somewhat blurry or foggy.
Unpredictable motor behaviour – As brain injury worsens, you may experience tremors or other involuntary movements. These could start out quite mild but might intensify as the obstruction worsens.
Blood clots can trigger seizures if they reach a specific size. While these convulsions are often brief, they are capable of lasting for many minutes and causing significant impairment.
Feeling lightheaded is a symptom of low blood oxygen levels in the brain, which can cause dizziness. You may start to feel dizzy or maybe faint.
Growing blood clots can be paralysing because of the pressure they exert on nearby nerves. Acute paralysis might occur in a specific part of the body dependent on the location of the blood clot.
Is there any way to know what causes a blood clot to grow in the brain?
Blood clots can occur for a variety of reasons.
One of the leading causes of brain blood clots is obesity. There is a correlation between having a high body mass index (BMI) and an increased chance of developing a blood clot in the brain because fat cells are more propensity to clot.
Causing damage to blood vessels and increasing the risk of blood clots is smoking. Nitric oxide (NO) levels in the blood are lowered by smoking. It can also contribute to elevated blood pressure by triggering thrombosis and embolism in the blood vessels.
Pills used to prevent pregnancy might cause dangerous blood clots to form in the brain. An increase in oestrogen levels in the body is one of the risk factors for developing blood clots.
Traumatic brain injury has been linked to the formation of a blood clot in the brain, according to some research. Having a clot form in the brain after suffering a blow to the head is a common complication of trauma.
Plaque builds up inside blood vessels and contains fatty substances and calcium, leading to a condition known as atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Disruption of these plaques is possible. Therefore, platelets may collect and coagulate at the injury site.
Brain Thrombosis Diagnosis
The doctor will check for indicators of a brain clot in the patient’s blood. It will check for the presence of protein in the bloodstream, which would indicate brain haemorrhage.
The size and form of the brain may be evaluated with an ultrasound scan. This may help pinpoint the origin and cause of the clot in the blood.
Diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scans can detect brain clots. When compared with other imaging methods, they give more precise data on the blood clot’s composition and location.
A magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is a diagnostic procedure that uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to provide detailed pictures of internal organs and organ systems, including the circulatory system. Brain blood flow may be analysed, and the clot’s origin can be tracked with this method.
Blood oxygen levels may be determined with the use of a V/Q scan. It is able to detect clotting and obstruction in the blood arteries as well as measure the volume of arterial blood flow.
Therapy for Brain Clots
Blood-thinning
Medication to thin the blood and stop it from clotting is used to treat a blood clot in the brain. People with a history of blood clots or who have suffered a stroke due to a blood clot are prescribed this medication. Your doctor may advise you to take anticoagulants and antiplatelets like warfarin to reduce the risk of clot formation.
Thrombolytics
In extreme circumstances, such as a stroke, doctors may use thrombolytics, which are medications that quickly break blood clots. For Instance, Heparin
Thrombectomy via Mechanical Means
Brain clots are removed surgically using a process called mechanical thrombectomy. The clot can be removed from the main artery and taken away from the brain with the use of a device that has a mesh inside of it.
Removing a brain clot surgically
Surgery to remove the clots may be recommended by your doctor. Blood clots in the brain can be removed using one of two surgical procedures:
It is possible to relieve pressure on the brain through a blood clot by emptying it through a tiny hole drilled into the skull (called a “burr hole”). Craniotomy entails making an incision in the skull, removing the clot, and replacing the cut portion.
Conclusion
There is a wide range of possible signs and symptoms that indicate a clot has formed in the brain. It might range from little inconveniences like slurred speech to a catastrophic stroke that leaves the victim paralysed. If you are suffering any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention right away at a top hospital like Max.
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