It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day demands and ignore changes in our health. It may not be wise, however, to dismiss those changes as symptoms of a hectic life. Blurred vision, dizziness or headaches that don’t get better can signal something serious.
Anywhere from 1 to 6 percent of Americans have a brain aneurysm but don’t know it. An aneurysm is a blister-like bulge on the wall of a blood vessel. It can go unnoticed for a long time. If it’s not treated, the pressure of the blood weakens the vessel, and the aneurysm grows like a balloon filling with air. If the aneurysm bursts, it causes a stroke.
An aneurysm can put pressure on nerves or tissue in the brain, which may cause:
- Headache or neck pain
- Vision problems, enlarged pupil, drooping eye lid
- Numb face
- Severe drowsiness
If you have a brain aneurysm, your doctor may recommend:
- Monitoring it
- Surgically removing it
- Inserting a tiny coil so blood can’t put pressure on it
- Diverting blood around it
Neurosurgeons at the Swedish Cerebrovascular Center are specially trained in cerebrovascular diseases, including aneurysms.
