I60.5: Subarachnoid haemorrhage from vertebral artery

You have had a bleed in your brain. The cerebral hemorrhage is between the soft brain linings.

On the outside of the brain and spinal cord there are three thin meninges (linings). A tough meninx, the dura mater, is on the outside. Below that are two soft meninges. You have had some bleeding in between the soft linings of your brain. There are various reasons for a bleed in this area. There is often an enlarged artery in the brain. This enlarged artery then has a thinner wall and it can rupture more quickly than a normal artery.

The arteries carry the blood from the heart to the brain. There are two vertebral arteries in the back of the neck. The arteries run very close to the spine and then go into the skull through an opening. The two arteries combine to form one artery in the brain. You have had a bleed from the vertebral artery.

When someone has a stroke, brain tissue is damaged. A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke. A brain hemorrhage may result in various problems. For example, you may no longer be able to move various muscles properly, or to speak properly. There are often very severe headaches. The person may also lose consciousness.