Blood Clot in Brain: Survival, Treatment, Post-Op

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEmergency SymptomsRisk of Delayed TreatmentTreatment in ERCausesHospitalizationRehabilitationLifestyle Changes

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Emergency Symptoms

Risk of Delayed Treatment

Treatment in ER

Causes

Hospitalization

Rehabilitation

Lifestyle Changes

A blood clot in the brain can have serious consequences. Blood clots may form in arteries or veins of the brain. A blood clot in a vein in the brain is often calledcerebral venous sinus thrombosis. This is a type of stroke that can cause permanent brain damage.

This article describes the symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and what to expect if you have a cerebral venous thrombosis.

Blood Clot in Vein

Emergency Symptoms of a Blood Clot in the Brain

A blood clot in the brain can cause sudden neurological symptoms and head pain. Usually, the head pain associated with a blood clot in the brain is intense and develops abruptly. It’s often described as “the worst headache of my life.”

The neurological symptoms correspond toischemia (lack of blood supply) in the brain.

Some differences between symptoms of a blood clot in a vein or an artery are:

Symptoms of a blood clot in the brain can include:

Usually, a blood clot in the brain causes one or more of these symptoms, but it doesn’t usually cause all of them.

Signs and Symptoms of Stroke

Risks of Delayed Blood Clot in Brain Treatment

Any type of blood clot in the brain can cause severe brain damage, resulting in permanent disability. Arteries supply the brain with oxygen and nutrient-rich blood. When the blood supply is interrupted, ischemia results in brain cell death.

When a blood clot affectsa large artery or vein in the brain, a substantial area of the brain can be affected.With large vessel blood clots, extensive swelling in the brain can develop, and it may be life-threatening.

A stroke of any type, including a cerebral venous thrombosis, is a medical emergency that requires prompt medical intervention. Without timely diagnosis and treatment, brain damage and swelling may continue to worsen over the course of hours.

Treatment can help stabilize a person who is having a stroke and can sometimes prevent a stroke from progressively damaging the brain.

How to Prevent Blood Clots

At the ER: Treating a Blood Clot in Brain

If you go to the emergency room with a possible blood clot in the brain, here is what you can expect:

Before you arrive at the emergency room, it’s highly likely that a stroke team will be on call to begin evaluating your risk factors and to determine whether it is safe for you to have blood thinners or an interventional procedure.

Some people are unable to receive blood thinners or undergo a procedure due to a high risk of bleeding or other medical risk.

What Caused a Brain Clot to Form?

Several risk factors can contribute to blood clots in the brain.The risk factors that cause an arterial strokeinclude heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and vascular disease.

A cerebral venous sinus thrombosis has risk factors that differ from those of an arterial stroke.These blood clots are described as occurring in a “sinus” such as thedural sinusor thesagittal sinus. This type of sinus is a large vein in the brain—it is not the same as your respiratory sinuses that can become congested when you have a cold or allergies.

Some risk factors may include:

Diagnosis of a Blood Clot in the BrainA blood clot in the brain is diagnosed with:Medical history of symptoms and risk factorsPhysical examinationImaging tests

Diagnosis of a Blood Clot in the Brain

A blood clot in the brain is diagnosed with:Medical history of symptoms and risk factorsPhysical examinationImaging tests

A blood clot in the brain is diagnosed with:

Hospitalization Time With a Blood Clot in Brain

Factors that may prolong hospital stay include:

Even after you are medically stabilized and able to go home, you will need medical follow-up within the first few weeks. You may also need an evaluation to identify the risk factors that could have led to your blood clot. Treatment for those risk factors will be initiated. You may need periodic medical surveillance to monitor the effects of your treatment.

Survival After a Blood Clot in the BrainSurvival is highly variable after a blood clot in the brain. Many people recover with minimal effects, but sometimes blood clots in the brain can be fatal. A study from Australia and New Zealand found 79.4% of people with a stroke were still alive three months later, and 52.8% had survived five years after the stroke.

Survival After a Blood Clot in the Brain

Survival is highly variable after a blood clot in the brain. Many people recover with minimal effects, but sometimes blood clots in the brain can be fatal. A study from Australia and New Zealand found 79.4% of people with a stroke were still alive three months later, and 52.8% had survived five years after the stroke.

Rehabilitation After Cerebral Blood Clot

After recovering from a blood clot in the brain, you might need ongoing rehabilitation. This can include exercises to build strength, balance, and speaking and swallowing abilities. You might also need to relearn or adjust to self-care skills.

Your rehabilitation will be individualized for you, depending on what types of impairments you may have developed due to the blood clot. It’s important to understand that rehabilitation takes time and that most people experience a slow and beneficial improvement with rehabilitation.

You can work with your therapy team to assess your abilities and follow your improvement. You will likely be given a program that involves a stepwise progression, with increasing levels of difficulty throughout your rehabilitation.

Often, rehabilitation for severe strokes or brain damage from cerebral venous thrombosis may begin in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. With inpatient rehabilitation, you may receive assistance with daily tasks, such as using the toilet, bathing, or eating—as needed.

You will also have your vital signs checked regularly, and you may need some medication adjustments during this phase of your recovery.

As you become more independent, you will be able to go home. You may continue to receive home visits from healthcare professionals, who will provide additional physical therapy exercises and check to see how you are progressing.

Your family members or other caregivers would be instructed on how to help you with your daily tasks as needed.

Benefits and Preparations for In-Home Physical Therapy

Adapting to Lifestyle Changes

Many people can experience significant recovery after a blood clot in the brain. You might be able to go back to the activities you enjoyed before your blood clot. However, you might have to make some adjustments if you still have some level of disability.

Adjustments that you may need to make could include the following:

You may need periodic reevaluations. You should expect to experience some changes with time, so you will require adjustments in your lifestyle routines.

For example, many people have floppy tone in their muscles shortly after a stroke, but this can evolve into spasticity (abnormal muscle tightness) as time goes on. Similarly, if you take medication for head pain, the pain may go away after some time, and you might not need the medication anymore after a while.

Summary

Blood clots in the brain can occur in a vein or an artery. Both of these are types of strokes, but a blood clot in a vein in the brain is usually referred to as a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and a blood clot in a brain artery is commonly referred to as a stroke.

There are many risk factors for these types of blood clots. A blood clot in a vein of the brain can occur due to blood clotting disorders or risk factors that increase the likelihood of blood clots.

Any blood clot in the brain is a medical emergency that requires prompt medical evaluation and treatment. Interventions can help prevent long-term effects and can save your life. If you experience any neurological symptoms or sudden head pain, seek medical attention right away.

Recovery after a blood clot in the brain can take months or years, and you should expect a gradually progressive improvement over time.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cole KL, Nguyen S, Gelhard S, Hardy J, Cortez J, Nunez JM, Menacho ST, Grandhi R.Factors associated with venous thromboembolism development in patients with traumatic brain injury.Neurocrit Care.2023 Jul 8. doi:10.1007/s12028-023-01780-8Happonen T, Nyman M, Ylikotila P, Kytö V, Laukka D, Mattila K, Hirvonen J.Imaging outcomes of emergency MRI in patients with suspected cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: a retrospective cohort study.Diagnostics (Basel). 2023;13(12):2052. doi:10.3390/diagnostics13122052Dias L, Carvalho M.Seizures in cerebral venous thrombosis - a retrospective analysis of a tertiary centre cohort.Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2023;232:107840. doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.107840Sturiale CL, Auricchio AM, Valente I, Vacca A, Pennisi G, Ciaffi G, Albanese A, Olivi A, Trevisi G.Post-operative segmental cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: risk factors, clinical implications, and therapeutic considerations.Neurosurg Rev.2023;46(1):161. doi:10.1007/s10143-023-02067-4Yang J, He Z, Li M, Hong T, Ouyang T.Risk of intracranial hemorrhage with direct oral anticoagulation versus low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of brain tumor-associated venous thromboembolism: A meta-analysis.J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2023;32(8):107243. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2023.107243Zhou Y, Jiang H, Wei H, Xiao X, Liu L, Ji X, Zhou C.Cerebral venous thrombosis in patients with autoimmune disease, hematonosis or coronavirus disease 2019: many familiar faces and some strangers.CNS Neurosci Ther.2023 Jun 27. doi:10.1111/cns.14321Peng Y, Ngo L, Hay K, Alghamry A, Colebourne K, Ranasinghe I.Long-term survival, stroke recurrence, and life expectancy after an acute stroke in Australia and New Zealand from 2008–2017: a population-wide cohort study.Stroke. 2022;53(8):2538-2548. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.038155

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cole KL, Nguyen S, Gelhard S, Hardy J, Cortez J, Nunez JM, Menacho ST, Grandhi R.Factors associated with venous thromboembolism development in patients with traumatic brain injury.Neurocrit Care.2023 Jul 8. doi:10.1007/s12028-023-01780-8Happonen T, Nyman M, Ylikotila P, Kytö V, Laukka D, Mattila K, Hirvonen J.Imaging outcomes of emergency MRI in patients with suspected cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: a retrospective cohort study.Diagnostics (Basel). 2023;13(12):2052. doi:10.3390/diagnostics13122052Dias L, Carvalho M.Seizures in cerebral venous thrombosis - a retrospective analysis of a tertiary centre cohort.Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2023;232:107840. doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.107840Sturiale CL, Auricchio AM, Valente I, Vacca A, Pennisi G, Ciaffi G, Albanese A, Olivi A, Trevisi G.Post-operative segmental cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: risk factors, clinical implications, and therapeutic considerations.Neurosurg Rev.2023;46(1):161. doi:10.1007/s10143-023-02067-4Yang J, He Z, Li M, Hong T, Ouyang T.Risk of intracranial hemorrhage with direct oral anticoagulation versus low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of brain tumor-associated venous thromboembolism: A meta-analysis.J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2023;32(8):107243. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2023.107243Zhou Y, Jiang H, Wei H, Xiao X, Liu L, Ji X, Zhou C.Cerebral venous thrombosis in patients with autoimmune disease, hematonosis or coronavirus disease 2019: many familiar faces and some strangers.CNS Neurosci Ther.2023 Jun 27. doi:10.1111/cns.14321Peng Y, Ngo L, Hay K, Alghamry A, Colebourne K, Ranasinghe I.Long-term survival, stroke recurrence, and life expectancy after an acute stroke in Australia and New Zealand from 2008–2017: a population-wide cohort study.Stroke. 2022;53(8):2538-2548. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.038155

Cole KL, Nguyen S, Gelhard S, Hardy J, Cortez J, Nunez JM, Menacho ST, Grandhi R.Factors associated with venous thromboembolism development in patients with traumatic brain injury.Neurocrit Care.2023 Jul 8. doi:10.1007/s12028-023-01780-8Happonen T, Nyman M, Ylikotila P, Kytö V, Laukka D, Mattila K, Hirvonen J.Imaging outcomes of emergency MRI in patients with suspected cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: a retrospective cohort study.Diagnostics (Basel). 2023;13(12):2052. doi:10.3390/diagnostics13122052Dias L, Carvalho M.Seizures in cerebral venous thrombosis - a retrospective analysis of a tertiary centre cohort.Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2023;232:107840. doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.107840Sturiale CL, Auricchio AM, Valente I, Vacca A, Pennisi G, Ciaffi G, Albanese A, Olivi A, Trevisi G.Post-operative segmental cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: risk factors, clinical implications, and therapeutic considerations.Neurosurg Rev.2023;46(1):161. doi:10.1007/s10143-023-02067-4Yang J, He Z, Li M, Hong T, Ouyang T.Risk of intracranial hemorrhage with direct oral anticoagulation versus low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of brain tumor-associated venous thromboembolism: A meta-analysis.J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2023;32(8):107243. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2023.107243Zhou Y, Jiang H, Wei H, Xiao X, Liu L, Ji X, Zhou C.Cerebral venous thrombosis in patients with autoimmune disease, hematonosis or coronavirus disease 2019: many familiar faces and some strangers.CNS Neurosci Ther.2023 Jun 27. doi:10.1111/cns.14321Peng Y, Ngo L, Hay K, Alghamry A, Colebourne K, Ranasinghe I.Long-term survival, stroke recurrence, and life expectancy after an acute stroke in Australia and New Zealand from 2008–2017: a population-wide cohort study.Stroke. 2022;53(8):2538-2548. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.038155

Happonen T, Nyman M, Ylikotila P, Kytö V, Laukka D, Mattila K, Hirvonen J.Imaging outcomes of emergency MRI in patients with suspected cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: a retrospective cohort study.Diagnostics (Basel). 2023;13(12):2052. doi:10.3390/diagnostics13122052

Dias L, Carvalho M.Seizures in cerebral venous thrombosis - a retrospective analysis of a tertiary centre cohort.Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2023;232:107840. doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.107840

Sturiale CL, Auricchio AM, Valente I, Vacca A, Pennisi G, Ciaffi G, Albanese A, Olivi A, Trevisi G.Post-operative segmental cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: risk factors, clinical implications, and therapeutic considerations.Neurosurg Rev.2023;46(1):161. doi:10.1007/s10143-023-02067-4

Yang J, He Z, Li M, Hong T, Ouyang T.Risk of intracranial hemorrhage with direct oral anticoagulation versus low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of brain tumor-associated venous thromboembolism: A meta-analysis.J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2023;32(8):107243. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2023.107243

Zhou Y, Jiang H, Wei H, Xiao X, Liu L, Ji X, Zhou C.Cerebral venous thrombosis in patients with autoimmune disease, hematonosis or coronavirus disease 2019: many familiar faces and some strangers.CNS Neurosci Ther.2023 Jun 27. doi:10.1111/cns.14321

Peng Y, Ngo L, Hay K, Alghamry A, Colebourne K, Ranasinghe I.Long-term survival, stroke recurrence, and life expectancy after an acute stroke in Australia and New Zealand from 2008–2017: a population-wide cohort study.Stroke. 2022;53(8):2538-2548. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.038155

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Emergency Symptoms of a Blood Clot in the Brain#

Risks of Delayed Blood Clot in Brain Treatment#

At the ER: Treating a Blood Clot in Brain#

What Caused a Brain Clot to Form?#

Diagnosis of a Blood Clot in the Brain#

Hospitalization Time With a Blood Clot in Brain#

Survival After a Blood Clot in the Brain#

Rehabilitation After Cerebral Blood Clot#

Adapting to Lifestyle Changes#

Summary#