Hematoma
Facts you should know about hematoma
A hematoma is a collection of blood outside of a blood vessel.
There are several types of hematomas and they are often described based on their location. Examples of hematomas
include subdural, spinal, under the finger or toenail bed (subungual), ear, and liver (hepatic).
Some causes of hematomas are as pelvic bone fractures, fingernail injuries (subungual), bumps, passing blood clots, blood
clot in the leg (DVT), blood cancers, and excessive alcohol use.
Symptoms of hematomas depend upon their location and whether adjacent structures are affected by the inflammation
and swelling associated with the bleeding and may include
headache,
confusion,
seizures (subdural hematoma),
back pain,
loss of bladder or bowel control (epidural hematoma),
discoloration,
nail loss,
pain in the nail bed, and
abdominal or flank pain (spleen, liver, or peritoneal hematoma).
Treatment of a hematoma depends upon which organ or body tissue is affected.
Superficial hematomas of the skin and soft tissue, such as muscle, may be treated with rest, ice, compression, and elevation
(RICE). Heat may also be considered.
What Are the Symptoms and Signs of a Brain Hemorrhage?
Usually, the symptoms and signs of a brain hemorrhage depend on the area of the brain involved and include:
Vision
Balance
Coordination
Seizures
Problems with speech
Coma
Read more about the symptoms, signs, causes, and treatment for brain hemorrhages »
An electron microscope view of a ruptured capillary leaking red blood cells.
An electron microscope view of a ruptured capillary leaking red blood cells.Source: Getty Images
What is a hematoma?
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A hematoma is an abnormal collection of blood outside of a blood vessel. It occurs because the wall of a blood vessel wall,
artery, vein, or capillary, has been damaged and blood has leaked into tissues where it does not belong. The hematoma may
be tiny, with just a dot of blood, or it can be large and cause significant swelling.
The blood vessels in the body are under constant repair. Minor injuries occur routinely and the body is usually able to repair
the damaged vessel wall by activating the blood clotting cascade and forming fibrin patches. Sometimes the repair fails if
the damage is extensive and the large defect allows for continued bleeding. If there is great pressure within the blood
vessel, for example, a major artery, the blood will continue to leak through the damaged wall and the hematoma will
expand.
Blood that escapes from within a blood vessel is very irritating to the surrounding tissue and may cause symptoms of
inflammation including pain, swelling, and redness. Symptoms of a hematoma depend upon their location, their size, and
whether they cause associated swelling or edema.
Hematomas may occur anywhere in the body. Regardless of how a hematoma is described or where it is located, it remains
a collection of clotted blood outside of a blood vessel.
