Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Causes, Signs, and What You Need to Know

When a blood vessel bursts near the surface of the brain, it can cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a type of bleeding that occurs between the brain and the thin tissues covering it. Also known as SAH, this isn’t just a stroke—it’s a medical emergency that kills about 40% of people within the first month.

This kind of bleed often comes from a weakened spot in a brain artery called an aneurysm, a balloon-like bulge that can rupture under pressure. High blood pressure, smoking, and family history raise your risk. Some people get no warning at all. Others feel the worst headache of their life—like being hit in the head with a bat. That sudden, severe pain is the body’s alarm bell. Other signs include nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, blurred vision, or sudden confusion. If you or someone else has these symptoms, don’t wait. Call emergency services right away.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage doesn’t just happen randomly. It’s often tied to intracranial hemorrhage, any bleeding inside the skull, and shares risk factors with stroke. While some cases are caused by trauma, like a car crash or fall, most are from unruptured aneurysms that finally give way. Doctors use CT scans and spinal taps to confirm it. Treatment involves stopping the bleeding, managing pressure in the brain, and preventing another rupture. Surgery or a minimally invasive coil procedure may be needed.

You won’t find every detail here—this isn’t a textbook. But what you will find below are real, practical stories and guides from people who’ve dealt with this condition, their families, and the doctors who treat it. You’ll see how medications like antihypertensives help manage risk, how recovery looks after brain surgery, and why monitoring blood pressure matters more than most people realize. Some posts talk about how certain drugs affect bleeding risk, others about what to expect after hospital discharge. There’s no fluff, no guesswork—just what works, what doesn’t, and what you need to know to protect yourself or someone you care about.