Cerebral venous thrombosis

8th December, 2020 • 2 min read

Cerebral venous thrombosis is a blood clot in a vein in your brain, which can lead to a stroke.

Reviewed by
Dr Ann Nainan
In this article

It’s more likely to happen if you have an increased risk of getting blood clots, such as if you’re pregnant, have certain genetic conditions or are taking medicines like oral contraceptives.

It’s also more common if you’re dehydrated or have widespread cancer.

If you have cerebral venous thrombosis, you may develop a headache that can sometimes feel really bad. For some people, this headache may come on gradually or suddenly (like you’ve been hit in the head).

You may also:

  • feel or be sick
  • have headaches
  • have fits
  • notice muscle weakness that affects different parts of your body, and struggle to speak or move
  • faint or feel dizzy
  • feel confused

How is cerebral venous thrombosis diagnosed and treated?

Cerebral venous thrombosis is an emergency condition that needs urgent medical treatment. If you think you have it, call an ambulance immediately. If you can’t, ask someone nearby to call one for you.

A doctor will usually perform imaging tests, like a

CT
or
MRI scan
to diagnose cerebral venous thrombosis. You may also need blood tests to check if your blood is clotting normally.

If you have cerebral venous thrombosis, you’ll typically be treated in the same way as someone who has had a

stroke
. More specifically, you may be given medication to thin your blood and medication for treating fits, if you’ve had one.

Did you find this useful?

Article information

Published on:
29 January 2021
Last reviewed:
08 December 2020
Next review:
07 December 2023
Medical reviewer:
Dr Ann Nainan
Author:
Dr Lauretta Ihonor

We include references at the end of every article, so you know where we get our facts. We only ever take evidence from medically-recognised sources, approved by the UK National Health Service's The Information Standard, or certified by Health On the Net (HON). When we talk about popular health trends or claims, we'll always tell you if there's very little or no evidence to back them up. Our medical team also checks our sources, making sure they're appropriate and that we've interpreted the science correctly.

Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.