Aneurysm causes, signs, prevention and treatment :
Aneurysm means ballooning and weakened area in an artery.Aneurysms often occur in the aorta, brain, back of the knee, intestine or spleen. A ruptured aneurysm can result in internal bleeding and stroke. It can sometimes be fatal.
An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall, usually where it branches. As blood passes throu ingh the weakened blood vessel, the blood pressure causes a small area to bulge outwards like a balloon.
The causes of aneurysm:
The main cause of an aneurysm:The most common culprits are atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
Deep wounds and infections can also lead to an aneurysm.
you may be born with weakness in one of your artery walls.
Stress can cause aneurysm. Strong emotions, such as being upset or angry, can raise blood pressure and can subsequently cause aneurysms to rupture.
The lack of sleep insomnia can cause aneurysm. Researchers identified insomnia as a potential risk factor for brain aneurysm, also called an intracranial aneurysm, and a type of stroke called an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
The early warning signs of an aneurysm.
Warning Signs/Symptoms:
Sudden and severe headache, often described as “the worst headache of my life”;Nausea/vomiting ;Stiff neck ;Blurred or double vision ;Sensitivity to light;
Seizure;Drooping eyelid;
A dilated pupil.
Cerebral Aneurysm:
Symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm usually begin with a sudden agonising headache. It's been likened to being hit on the head, resulting in a blinding pain unlike anything experienced before. Other symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm also tend to come on suddenly and may include feeling or being sick.
Aneurysm can be cured.
The only way to get rid of an aneurysm is to have it repaired with surgery or an endovascular procedure. Sometimes surgery isn't possible, or it may pose more danger than the wa aneurysm. Careful monitoring and medication may be best in that case. Your doctor will figure out the size, type, and location of the aneurysm.
About 75% of people with a ruptured brain aneurysm survive longer than 24 hours. A quarter of the survivors, though, may have life-ending complications within six months. Call 108 or go to an emergency room if you think you are having symptoms of a brain aneurysm or ruptured aneurysm.
The best treatment for an aneurysm:
The only way to get rid of an aneurysm is to have it repaired with surgery or an endovascular procedure. Sometimes surgery isn't possible, or it may pose more danger than the aneurysm. Careful monitoring and medication may be best in that case. Your doctor will figure out the size, type, and location of the aneurysm.
Aneurysms develop over a lifetime.Another is that an aneurysm can disappear or heal itself. This is very rare and only happens in aneurysms that are considered benign because the flow of blood is so slow it eventually forms a clot and seals off the bulge.”
The three main treatments of an aneurysm:
Broadly, three treatment options for people with the diagnosis of cerebral aneurysm include:
(1)medical (non-surgical) therapy.
(2)surgical therapy or clipping and endovascular therapy
(3)coiling with or without adjunctive devices.
The doctors fix an aneurysm by two methods.
There are two common methods used to repair an aneurysm: Clipping is done during an open craniotomy. Endovascular repair (surgery), most often using a coil or coiling and stenting (mesh tubes), is a less invasive and more common way to treat aneurysms.
Prevention of aneurysm:
Don't smoke or use tobacco products. Quit smoking or chewing tobacco and avoid secondhand smoke.
Eat a healthy diet. Focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, and low-fat dairy products.
Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control. ...
Get regular exercises
You can't always prevent brain aneurysms, but you can lower your risk by not smoking and by reducing high blood pressure.
Eat a healthy diet, limit caffeine and avoid stimulant drugs.
Quit smoking.
Manage conditions that contribute to high blood pressure.
Talk to your healthcare provider about lifestyle changes you can make and medications that may help.
Dr Bhairavsinh Raol
