A hematoma is a bleeding or collection of blood within the skull. Most commonly caused by trauma, such as a sporting injury, fall or car accident.

There are three types of hematoma:

Subdural hematoma – when the veins between the brain and the outermost layers of the membrane that covers the brain (dura mater) burst.

Epidural hematoma – when the veins between the outermost layers of the membrane that covers the brain (dura mater) and the skull burst.

Intraparenchymal hematoma – occurs when blood pools inside the brain.

The signs and symptoms of a hematoma are increasing headache, vomiting, confusion & dizziness, uneven pupils or even slurred speech. Symptoms may occur immediately after the incident, or some may take a while to develop. It is important to be aware of any changes in the days following a head injury. It is important that you see a doctor immediately if you experience any loss of consciousness, have a constant headache or have vision problems or vomiting.

If there are no visible signs such as a bump on the head, doctors will usually have to perform either a CT or MRI scan to assess and diagnose a hematoma. For small hematomas that present no visible symptoms, they can be treated with blood thinning medications such as warfarin. After treatment, you may need further medication to reverse the effects of the warfarin, such as the vitamin K or fresh frozen plasma.

Larger hematomas require surgery. Depending on the type of hematoma you have, you may require a surgical drainage, where the doctor will remove the excess blood with suction through a hole in the skull. A craniotomy, where the skull is opened, will be required for larger hematomas.

Recovery from a hematoma can take a while, and complete recovery isn’t guaranteed. If you are still experiencing neurological problems after three months, it is likely that you will need physical or occupational therapy.