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What Causes Brain Bleeds?

Aug 02, 2025
What Causes Brain Bleeds?
Brain bleeds are a medical emergency — but what causes them to happen in the first place? Read on to learn about the different types of brain bleeds, why they form, and what we can do to treat them.

A brain bleed — also known as a brain hemorrhage — is a serious condition that happens when blood vessels in or around your brain rupture. This causes bleeding that puts pressure on brain tissue and can lead to strokelike symptoms or even be life-threatening.

At Link Neuroscience Institute, our team of experts provides rapid diagnosis and treatment to reduce damage and address the root cause of your brain bleed.

Understanding brain bleeds

A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke caused by bleeding, rather than a blood clot. About 10-20% of strokes fall into this category. Depending on where the bleeding occurs, the condition is called by different names:

  • Intracranial hemorrhage for bleeding anywhere inside your skull
  • Intracerebral hemorrhage for bleeding within the brain tissue itself
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage for bleeding between your brain and the tissue covering it
  • Epidural and subdural hematomas for bleeding above or below your brain’s protective covering (the dura)

Common symptoms of a brain bleed include weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty speaking, loss of balance, confusion, or sudden headaches. These signs resemble those of a stroke and should always be treated as a medical emergency.

What causes brain bleeds?

There are several possible causes of a brain bleed:

Head trauma

The most common cause, especially in younger people, often is from car accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Trauma is most likely to cause epidural and subdural hematomas.

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Long-term high blood pressure can weaken blood vessel walls, making them more likely to burst. In fact, high blood pressure is the most common cause of brain bleeds.

Aneurysms 

These are balloon-like bulges in blood vessels that can rupture without warning. If you know you have an aneurysm already, our team may recommend aneurysm coiling or traditional aneurysm clipping to address the aneurysm before it ruptures.

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)

AVMs are abnormal connections between arteries and veins in the brain. It’s a rare condition, usually present from birth, that causes these tangled blood vessels that can rupture.

Blood-thinning medications 

Medications like warfarin or aspirin can contribute to brain bleeds, especially in people who already have vessel weakness.

Illicit drugs like cocaine can also damage blood vessels in the brain.

Brain tumors or bleeding disorders 

In some cases, brain bleeds can result from cancer that has spread to the brain or from protein deposits in older adults' blood vessels.

Signs you might have a brain bleed

Brain bleeds usually come on suddenly. You may experience a very severe headache, nausea, or confusion. Some people have trouble speaking, weakness or numbness (especially on one side of the body), vision changes, or even seizures. 

How the Link Neuroscience Institute team can help

If you or someone you’re with has any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately — the faster you get help, the better the outcome.

Our team will first stabilize your condition. This may include:

  • Blood pressure control
  • Oxygen support or use of a ventilator
  • Medications to reduce brain swelling and prevent seizures
  • Monitoring of brain pressure and heart rhythm

Pain management is also provided if you're awake. Once stable, your Link Neuroscience Institute care team in Camarillo, Santa Barbara, or Oxnard, California, evaluates the cause of the hemorrhage and recommends next steps, which may include surgical or nonsurgical treatment.

To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call the location of your choice directly.