SymptomsSubdural haematoma
The symptoms of a subdural haematoma can 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:
- a headache 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 as double vision
- paralysis (loss of movement) on one side of the body
- problems walking and frequent falls
- fits (seizures)
- loss of consciousness
What to do
You should always seek emergency medical treatment after a severe head injury.
Go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department, or dial 999 to request an ambulance.
If you develop the symptoms listed above any time after a minor head injury, or don't 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.