The head injury could be as obvious as a traumatic accident or as trivial as a minor bump to the head. Cerebral edema further increases the intracranial pressure. Subdural hematoma often develops as a complication after a head injury. Acute subdural hematoma progresses rapidly, with symptoms usually appearing within 24 hours of the injury.
Rapid deterioration occurs thereafter.
Subacute subdural hematoma usually develops symptoms within 2 to 10 days after the injury because of a slightly slower leakage of blood into the subdural area. Typically, symptoms of the original injury improve for a period, followed by development of symptoms of subdural hematoma. Subdural hematoma occurs in people of all ages. Chronic subdural hematoma occurs in about 1 out of 10,000 people. Signs And Tests Consult the health care provider promptly for any head injury that results in even a brief loss of consciousness , or if other symptoms are present after head injury even without loss of consciousness.