Aneurysm in the brain: Recognizing symptoms, identifying root causes, and managing treatment options
Brain aneurysms, also known as cerebral aneurysms, are a common health condition that affects an estimated 3-5% of people in the United States during their lifetime. These bulges in the arterial walls can be potentially life-threatening if they rupture, but many remain unruptured and do not require immediate treatment.
**Symptoms of an Unruptured Aneurysm**
While unruptured aneurysms often do not cause symptoms, some may exhibit signs such as pain above or behind the eye, numbness, weakness, paralysis or twitching on one side of the face, vision changes, a dilated pupil in only one eye, nausea or vomiting, confusion or changes in consciousness, a stiff neck, light sensitivity, fainting or seizures, cardiac arrest, or sudden, severe headaches.
**Types of Brain Aneurysms**
The most common type of brain aneurysm is the saccular (berry) aneurysm, which accounts for about 90% of cases. These aneurysms are characterized by a rounded outpouching and typically occur at arterial bifurcations in the anterior circulation of the brain. Fusiform aneurysms, while less common, involve a circumferential dilation affecting the entire arterial segment and are often associated with vessel wall disease. Large and giant aneurysms, those larger than 10 mm, are more complex to treat and often occur in the anterior circulation, particularly the internal carotid artery segments.
**Diagnosis and Treatment**
A doctor can assess the size, severity, and type of an aneurysm using an angiogram. To perform a cerebral angiogram, a doctor will insert a small, thin tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in the groin and direct it into the blood vessels of the brain under X-ray guidance. There, they will inject a dye that makes it easier to see the blood vessels and any unusual structures.
Treatment options depend on factors such as age, neurological or medical conditions, whether the aneurysm has ruptured, and family history. A healthful lifestyle can help reduce the risk of aneurysm. Strategies include quitting smoking, avoiding medications that increase blood pressure, adopting a balanced diet, regular exercise, and controlling blood pressure.
**Ruptured Aneurysms**
If a ruptured aneurysm occurs, it is fatal in about 40% of cases, with 15% of people dying before they reach the hospital. Ruptured brain aneurysms account for just 3-5% of all new stroke cases. Among people who survive an aneurysm rupture, 66% have lasting neurological damage and 34% die from complications within 6 months. Possible complications include hemorrhagic stroke, rebleeding, changes in sodium levels, vasospasm, seizures, hydrocephalus, and permanent brain damage. Both endovascular treatment and brain surgery come with risks, including heart or lung damage, surgical complications, infection, death, and surgery failure.
**Sentinel Ruptures**
A sentinel rupture or sentinel bleed, where an aneurysm leaks before it ruptures, sometimes causes sentinel headaches. Other symptoms of a sentinel rupture include nausea or vomiting, vision changes, confusion or changes in consciousness, a stiff neck, light sensitivity, fainting or seizures, cardiac arrest.
**Prevention and Awareness**
People with unruptured aneurysms should talk to a doctor about minimizing the risk of rupture and ongoing monitoring. It is essential that anyone who has previously received a diagnosis of an unruptured aneurysm makes the emergency care team aware of this. Most aneurysms do not reoccur following treatment. Brain aneurysms tend to affect adults between the ages of 30 and 60 years.
In summary, while brain aneurysms can be serious, understanding their symptoms, types, and treatment options can help individuals make informed decisions about their health. If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned, seek immediate medical care.
- Unruptured brain aneurysms, although usually symptom-free, can sometimes exhibit signs such as numbness, weakness, paralysis, or twitching on one side of the face, vision changes, nausea or vomiting, confusion, or changes in consciousness, a stiff neck, light sensitivity, fainting or seizures, cardiac arrest, or sudden, severe headaches.
- The most common type of brain aneurysm is the saccular (berry) aneurysm, which accounts for about 90% of cases and occurs at arterial bifurcations in the anterior circulation of the brain.
- In the field of medicine, brain aneurysms and their treatment fall under the realm of neurology, a medical-condition study that focuses on the brain and its disorders.
- To reduce the risk of brain aneurysms, adopting a healthful lifestyle is recommended, which may include quitting smoking, avoiding medications that increase blood pressure, adopting a balanced diet, regular exercise, and controlling blood pressure.
- Brain aneurysms are potentially life-threatening if they rupture and account for just 3-5% of all new stroke cases, with 40% of ruptured cases being fatal before hospital admission.
