Symptoms of Brain Aneurysms
| December 17, 2012 | Posted by admin under Aneurysm |
A brain aneurysm is a bulge in the brain’s blood vessels that often looks like a small berry hanging from a stem. The affliction comes in a number of different varieties like mycotic aneurysms, abdominal (also known as stomach) aneurysms, fusiform or carotid are some. Especially serious are aortic and thoracic aneurysms – but they can all easily be deadly.
Brain aneurysms can rupture and cause hemorrhagic stroke that requires immediate medical attention. It must be emphasized, however, that most brain aneurysms will not cause visible symptoms and create health problems unless they rupture. Diagnosis is often made as a result of the detection of other medical conditions although treatment is still necessary to prevent future rupture.
Brain aneurysm signs
The symptoms and signs of brain aneurysms differ depending on whether a rupture has happened or not. The symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm include sudden, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, blurred or double vision, stiff neck and drooping eyelid, photosensitivity, confusion and loss of consciousness. Immediate medical treatment must be provided as 50 percent of ruptures are fatal.
On the other hand, an intact aneurysm will have no symptoms except when it is unusually large. In this case, the most common symptoms include pain above and behind one eye, a dilated pupil, changes in vision, a drooping eyelid and numbness in only one side of the face.
Causes of a brain aneurysm
It must be noted that aneurysms can appear in any part of the brain but the most common site is at the base of the brain. An aneurysm occurs when the artery walls degenerate and become weak, which most often happens at the forks of the arteries.
Diagnosis brain aneurysm
Regardless of the symptoms of brain aneurysms that you have experienced, be it a ruptured or intact aneurysm, you will be subjected to the same battery of tests. These diagnostic tests can include computerized tomography, a cerebrospinal fluid test, magnetic resonance imaging and cerebral angiogram, all of which are means to see inside your body using high-tech medical equipment.
There are also screening methods to determine if you may have a brain aneurysm. Usually, this happens either when you have a close relative with the condition or you are predisposed to it because of a congenital disorder.
Treatments and Prevention
Treatment for brain aneurysms range from medications and lifestyle changes to surgery, depending on your case. For surgery, the most common procedures are surgical clipping where the aneurysm is closed with the use of a tiny metal clip and endovascular coiling where the aneurysm is sealed off from the artery. Take note that both procedures are risky and discussing your options with your doctor is very important.
Other treatments are designed to relieve the symptoms and manage the complications, said treatments including an analgesic pain reliever for the headaches, calcium channel blockers for the prevention of spasms, medical interventions necessary to prevent the occurrence of stroke, anti-seizure medications, ventricular catheters and rehabilitative therapy.
You should also adopt lifestyle changes such as quitting the use of cigarettes and recreational drugs, eating a healthy diet and engaging in moderate exercise and avoiding stress.
The symptoms of brain aneurysms are treatable if and when you can get to the emergency room for proper medical treatment. Now, that’s good news!
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