The symptoms of asubdural haematomacan develop soon after a severe head injury, or gradually over days or weeks after a more minor head injury.
Sometimes you may not remember hitting your head at all.
Symptoms of a subdural haematoma can include:
- aheadache that keeps getting worse
- feeling and being sick
- confusion
- personality changes, such as being unusually aggressive or having rapid mood swings
- feeling drowsy and finding it difficult to keep your eyes open
- speech problems, such as slurred speech
- problems with your vision, such asdouble vision
- paralysis(loss of movement) on one side of the body
- problems walking and frequentfalls
- fits (seizures)
- loss of consciousness
These symptoms can often be mistaken for other conditions, such as strokes, infections or dementia.
What to do
You should always seekemergency medical treatment after asevere head injury.
Go to your nearest A&E department or call 999.
If you develop any of the symptoms listed after a minor head injury, or do not remember hitting your head, you should also go to your nearest A&E department or call 999 for an ambulance as soon as possible.
A subdural haematoma can be very serious and needs to be assessed as quickly as possible.
Read more about diagnosing subdural haematomas.
Page last reviewed: 19 August 2021
Next review due: 19 August 2024
