
Think of a weak spot in a balloon and how it feels stretched out and thin. A brain aneurysm is like that. It’s a weak spot in the wall of a blood vessel inside the brain.
That area of the blood vessel gets worn out from the constant flow of blood and bulges out, almost like a bubble. It can grow to the size of a small berry.
Although brain aneurysms sound alarming, most don’t cause symptoms or health problems. You can enjoy a long life without ever realizing that you have a brain aneurysm.
But in rare cases, aneurysms can grow big, leak, or explode. Bleeding in the brain, known as hemorrhagic stroke, is very serious and requires urgent medical care.
A ruptured brain aneurysm can be life-threatening and lead to:
- cerebral vasospasm (reduced blood flow to the brain)
- hydrocephalus (too much spinal fluid in the brain)
- coma
- permanent brain damage
Get emergency care if you suddenly get an intensely painful headache, lose consciousness, or have some of these other symptoms of an aneurysm rupture:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Loss of balance such as walking and normal coordination
- Stiff neck
- Dilated pupils
- Sensitivity to light
- Sudden blurred or double vision
- Drooping eyelid
- Confusion or trouble with mental awareness
- Seizure
Although brain aneurysms usually don’t show symptoms, they can press on the brain and nerves as they get bigger. See a doctor at once if you’re having the following symptoms of an unruptured aneurysm:
- Headache
- Dilated pupils
- Blurred or double vision
- Pain above and behind an eye
- Drooping eyelid
- Hard time speaking
- Weakness and numbness in one side of your face
Brain aneurysms usually develop as people age, becoming more common after 40. It’s also possible to have a blood vessel defect at birth.
Women tend to have higher rates of aneurysms than men.
Aneurysms tend to form at the fork of blood vessels, places where they branch off because those sections tend to be weaker. They are most commonly found in the base of the brain.
Here is what to do:
- stop smoking.
- stop recreational drug use.
- maintain a healthy diet and exercise.
- don’t overexert or strain, which can increase blood pressure.
- control high blood pressure.
- be mindful of aspirin use as aspirin may prevent proper blood clotting.
- consider stopping the use of oral contraceptives.