Cerebral Edema

What is a Cerebral Edema?

Any kind of injury will likely cause the surrounding skin to swell up, be it your knee, your elbow or your brain. This type of swelling is called an ‘edema’. Inflammation of your brain tissue is called a ‘Cerebral Edema’.

A cerebral edema is dangerous because your brain is surrounded by your skull & when your brain tissue swells up, it causes a high amount of pressure against your skull which is called intracranial pressure. Cerebral edema is also known as brain swelling.

Causes of Cerebral Edema:

Cerebral edema can cause irreversible damage.

1. High Altitude : If you are at an altitude above 4000 meters, you can get a cerebral edema.
2. Brain Tumor : A tumor in your brain can press up against your skull and cause cerebral edema.
3. Traumatic Brain Injury : If you’ve been injured in an accident or have had a bad fall & hit your head, you can end up with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
4. Ischemic Stroke : A stroke cuts off blood supply & can cause brain swelling.
5. Brain Infection : A bacteria or a virus can cause a brain infection which can cause a cerebral edema when our body fights back. Some examples of infections are - Meningitis, Toxoplasmosis, Subdural abscesses, Encephalitis etc.
6. Brain Hemorrhage : If a blood vessel bursts in your brain, it can cause brain swelling.

Symptoms of Cerebral Edema:

The symptoms of a cerebral edema vary person-to-person but some of the common ones are:

1. Headaches
2. Seizures
3. Difficulty moving
4. Memory problems
5. Nausea & vomiting
6. Dizziness
7. Breathing problems
8. Neck pain
9. Loss of consciousness
10. Vision loss

How to diagnose a Cerebral Edema?

Diagnosing cerebral edema is very challenging task. Your doctor will use the following to diagnose cerebral edema -

1. MRI & CT scans
2. Blood tests
3. Physical exam of the head & neck
4. Neurological tests
5. Lumbar puncture

Treatments for a Cerebral Edema:

Cerebral edemas require immediate medical attention to reduce the risk of permanent damage or death.

1. Blood clot thinners like warfarin.
2. Surgery to drain brain fluid to release intracranial pressure (ventriculostomy)
3. Lowering your body temperature to reduce your brain swelling.
4. Procedures to remove water from your brain to increase blood flow.
5. Use an oxygen tank to maintain blood oxygen levels.
6. Surgery
7. Hypothermia
8. Osmotherapy

A cerebral edema if diagnosed & treated in time can be prevented from being fatal.

It is difficult for doctors to provide immediate and appropriate medical attention to minimize the risk of complications. Dr. Masel is well versed in complex surgical procedures.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing signs of a cerebral edema, contact Specialty Care Clinics expert neurologists immediately. They provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare and telehealth solutions to their patients.

The Specialty Care Clinics have 7 branches in Texas, throughout the metroplex, including Plano, Farmers Branch, Lancaster, Fort Worth, Farmers Branch, Ennis, and Midland.

You can call us on 214-475-6078 to book an appointment.