Symptoms of a potential intracranial hematoma include:. Paralysis, seizures , and loss of consciousness are the most serious symptoms of a skull hematoma. Anyone with a head injury who is experiencing symptoms should seek medical attention right away. Head injuries need to be closely monitored to allow for prompt surgical intervention, if needed. Both bruises and hematomas occur when a force usually a blunt one directly strikes the skin causing one or more blood vessels to break open. Trauma from car accidents, sports injuries, falls, and medical procedures or surgeries are typical causes.
Orthopedic injuries and fractures broken bones may also cause bruising or a hematoma. There are also factors that increase a person's chances of forming bruises or hematomas.
One major one is advanced age. As you age, your skin thins and becomes more fragile, making you more prone to bruising. Likewise, older individuals are at a higher risk for developing hematomas, especially subdural hematomas, even with a minor injury. There are also various health problems that increase your risk of bruising or developing hematomas.
In their own unique ways, these conditions impair the ability of injured blood vessels to stop bleeding:. Certain medications can also make you more likely to bruise or develop a hematoma, such as:. While trauma is the primary cause, certain factors increase a person's risk for developing bruises and hematomas. Some of these include advanced age, taking medications that impair blood clotting, and having an underlying bleeding disorder. Most of the time, doctors can diagnose a bruise or hematoma just by looking at it during a physical examination.
In the case of a skull hematoma or one inside the body, an imaging test like a computed tomography CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging MRI is usually required. For suspected bone bruises, an X-ray may be ordered to evaluate for fractures. An MRI may be used to examine the bruise or to check for microfractures. Bruises resolve on their own, but may benefit from treatment to speed-up healing and reduce discomfort. For the vast majority of bruises and for small, close-to-the-surface hematomas, treatment involves the R.
E method rest, ice, compression, elevation. Specifically, the steps of this method include:. For any discomfort or pain associated with your bruise or hematoma, your doctor may recommend taking Tylenol acetaminophen. Hematomas that are pressing on a nerve or blood vessel or causing tissue damage may require surgical drainage or removal. Keep in mind that drainage of any hematoma must occur relatively soon after it has formed before the liquid blood becomes more firm and solid.
Surgery may also be needed to repair any related organ damage, if applicable. Bed rest and observation may be all that is needed for smaller skull hematomas. For large skull hematomas, the surgeon may need to drill a hole in the patient's skull to drain the trapped blood—what's known as burr hole surgery. The drain may be left in place for a couple of days while the patient is being closely monitored in the hospital.
Alternatively, a craniotomy may be performed. During this surgery, a part of the skull bone is temporarily taken out in order to remove the trapped blood.
A drain may be placed for a couple of days to help get rid of excess blood or fluid. Most bruises and hematomas can be treated with the R. Bruises and hematomas are caused by trauma or a bodily injury. A key difference between them is that bruises result from injury to smaller blood vessels whereas hematomas result from injury to larger ones. Where bruises remain flat, hematomas form firm lumps or masses because of the blood that pools and becomes trapped.
Hematomas also generally take longer to heal than bruises and can be dangerous if they form on the skull or any internal organ. A bruise develops when blood leaks from smaller blood vessels, causing a purple, blue, or darkened spot to appear on the skin. The bruise changes color as it heals, typically lightening or turning yellow before fading completely. Bruises generally are not serious. In contrast, a hematoma is a leakage from a larger blood vessel.
The mark that it leaves might be dark blue or black, but it can also cause significant redness. More severe traumas cause hematomas, which may be serious and require medical treatment. Most bruises heal on their own without the need for treatment. Severe bruises are rare, but they may damage the inner tissues or organs and require treatment to prevent infection.
Some people may be more prone to bruising, including people who have anemia or vitamin deficiencies and those who take blood thinners. In some cases, a hematoma will not require treatment. The body will usually reabsorb the blood from the hematoma over time. To manage a hematoma under the skin, nail, or other soft tissue, a person should rest the injured area and apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to reduce any pain or swelling.
It may help to wrap or splint the area around the hematoma to keep the blood vessel from reopening as it heals. A doctor will give a person specific instructions on how to do this if it is necessary. Doctors may recommend some over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers if the injury is painful. They will usually advise a person to avoid certain pain relievers, such as aspirin, which thin the blood and may make the hematoma worse.
Sometimes, a hematoma may require surgical drainage. Surgery may be more likely if the blood is putting pressure on the spinal cord, brain, or other organs. In other cases, doctors may want to drain a hematoma that is at risk of infection.
Surgical treatment may not be necessary in all cases, even when the hematoma is inside the skull. For example, in a study of people with a subdural hematoma, the authors noted that the majority received conservative treatment.
Only 6. In rare cases, the hematoma may carry on growing as the damaged blood vessel continues to let out more blood. The result is a mix of old and new blood that doctors will need to remove completely. The skin over the hematoma may turn bluish then brown and yellow as the blood is dissolved and absorbed. Usually, this only takes a couple of weeks but can last months. Limit motion of the joints near the hematoma.
If the hematoma is large and painful, avoid sports and other vigorous physical activity until the swelling and pain goes away. Apply an ice pack ice cubes in a plastic bag, or a frozen bag of peas, wrapped in a thin towel over the injured area for 20 minutes every 1 to 2 hours the first day. Continue with ice packs 3 to 4 times a day for the next 2 days. Continue the use of ice packs for relief of pain and swelling as needed. If you need anything for pain, you can take acetaminophen, unless you were given a different pain medicine to use.
Talk with your healthcare provider before using this medicine if you have chronic liver or kidney disease. Also talk with your healthcare provider if you have had a stomach ulcer or digestive tract bleeding, or are taking blood-thinner medicines. Follow up with your healthcare provider, or as advised. But due to their large size and irregular shape, they can still cause…. Here are the signs of an ACL tear. Wound dehiscence occurs when a surgical incision reopens.
Discover risk factors, tips to ensure proper healing, serious complications, and more. Baking soda is one of several methods that can help force splinters to rise to the surface of the skin, where you can more easily remove them. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Hematoma in the Leg. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Causes Symptoms Treatment Outlook We include products we think are useful for our readers.
What is a hematoma?
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