Which of the following is a symptom of subarachnoid hemorrhage?

• A. Exploding headache
• B. Slow onset of dizziness
• C. Mouth numbness
• D. Persistent cough

Answer: (A)

A sudden, severe headache is the hallmark of a subarachnoid hemorrhage. This “thunderclap” headache happens when a brain vessel, often a berry aneurysm, ruptures and blood rapidly fills the subarachnoid space, irritating the meninges and producing that abrupt, maximal-at-onset pain. It’s a red flag for an acute brain bleed and requires immediate medical assessment.

The other options don’t fit this pattern. A slow onset of dizziness points to vestibular or inner ear problems rather than a rapid intracranial bleed. Mouth numbness suggests a stroke affecting sensory pathways, not meningeal irritation from subarachnoid blood. A persistent cough isn’t a typical symptom of a brain hemorrhage.