Causes Of Cerebral Edema

Brain Hemorrhage

A brain hemorrhage is where there is bleeding in an area of the brain. This type of bleeding can be caused by things like trauma or injury, or even uncontrolled high blood pressure. As the blood collects within in the brain, the body recognizes it as a type of foreign substance. The body then initiates an inflammatory response to help protect the brain. Tons of histamines and prostaglandins are released, and the capillaries are dilated to allow the increased flow to the area, which causes more fluids to pool, thus resulting in cerebral edema.

Infections

Infections starting anywhere in your body will end up producing an inflammatory response, which is the body's way of directing white blood cells and other types of cells into the infected area to fight off the offending pathogen. The cells damaged by the infection causing pathogen will release things like histamine and prostaglandins. In turn, this causes the local tissues to leak fluids into the surrounding areas, which is where the cerebral edema comes from. The swelling then essentially walls off the damaged or infected tissues from the healthy tissues as a way to help control the infection and prevent it from spreading.