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Can You Test For A Brain Aneurysm?

Brain aneurysms are similar to heart attacks. Just like people have no warning signs of a heart attack, there is no warning sign of a brain aneurysm. Fortunately, there are screening techniques which can help in identifying any risk of a brain aneurysm.

Reasons for developing a brain aneurysm:

  • Crack or amphetamines
  • Use of cocaine
  • Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
  • Chronic hypertension
  • Fibromuscular dysplasia
  • History of cerebral aneurysms in family
  • Marfan syndrome
  • Use of cigarette.

Can You Test For A Brain Aneurysm?

Can You Test For A Brain Aneurysm?

Screening Tests: When Do You Need Them And When You Do Not?

A weak area in the Blood vessel wall is called a brain aneurysm. It can cause a stroke and is fatal. Typically, neurosurgeons use MRIs and CT scans for detecting a brain aneurysm. But these tests could be more harmful and require multiples follow-ups and tests for following reasons:

A brain aneurysm is very rare. Thus, it cannot be always detected. This leads to potential risks in patients without any benefit. Sometimes, an MRI or a CT scan will show an unclear image which will lead to more tests and added risks. Also sometimes, an MRI or a CT scan detect ‘incidental aneurysms’ which are hardly any problem.

Tests Of Brain Cost Money and Have Multiple Risks

Depending on your insurance, an MRI or a CT scan will cost anywhere from $750 to $1000. The follow-up tests would be additional costs. Besides, CT scans are known to expose you to radiation.

When Do You Require Screening Tests?

Screening tests are a good idea only if:

  • You have suffered from a brain aneurysm in the past.
  • You have had a stroke known as subarachnoid hemorrhage. This stroke is caused when the aneurysms burst and cause bleeding between the tissue and the brain.
  • You have any close relatives who have suffered from an aneurysm.
  • There are some genetic symptoms visible like Polycystic kidney disease, Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome IV Syndrome.

You will also require some other tests if you have any symptoms of aneurysm burst. One of the main symptoms is having a sudden and unusual headache. Often patients have been saying that itis the worst kind of a headache in their life. Some other symptoms include:

  • Pain in the face
  • A stiff neck
  • Light sensitivity
  • Change in speech
  • Seeing double
  • Pain in the face
  • Odd eye movements
  • Vision loss
  • A seizure.

The Outlook For Someone Suffering From A Brain Aneurysm

If you have a brain aneurysm, you must be vigilant of monitoring it and get diagnosed if you have any ruptures. If you get an immediate treatment, your recovery and survival rates have higher chances than emergency medical care.

A surgery of an unruptured aneurysm in a hospital is usually quick. But for surgeries of a ruptured aneurysm, maximum recovery usually requires three weeks to twenty-four months. It is also possible that you do not get completely recovered if the damage is very severe.

Thus, stay alert of the warning signs. If you notice any risk factors, immediately see your doctor for further examination. To sum it up, an unruptured brain aneurysm is a serious condition which requires being addressed as soon as discovered. But ruptured or leaking brain aneurysm is even more critical and requires emergency treatment from experienced physicians for ensuring the best possible outcome.

Patients aged 65 and above have more complications if done any surgery. For them, the surgery can be even fatal. Since the older patients have a limited lifespan than the younger ones suffering from a brain aneurysm, they are at a less risk for an aneurysm rupture. Almost, most of the patients with a brain aneurysm die within the thirty days of the diagnosis while many of the survivors have severe brain damage. So if you have brain aneurysm ruptures, there is only one out of four chances of getting recovered.

References:

  1. Bederson JB, Connolly ES Jr, Batjer HH, et al. Guidelines for the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a statement for healthcare professionals from a special writing group of the Stroke Council, American Heart Association. Stroke. 2009; 40(3): 994-1025. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/STROKEAHA.108.191395
  2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Intracranial aneurysms: diagnosis and management. Clinical Guideline [CG159]. 2019. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg159
  3. Wiebers DO, Whisnant JP, Huston J, et al. Unruptured intracranial aneurysms: natural history, clinical outcome, and risks of surgical and endovascular treatment. The Lancet. 2003; 362(9378): 103-110. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(03)13860-3/fulltext
  4. Thompson BG, Brown RD Jr, Amin-Hanjani S, et al. Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms. Stroke. 2015; 46(8): 2368-2400. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STR.0000000000000070
  5. Connolly ES Jr, Rabinstein AA, Carhuapoma JR, et al. Guidelines for the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a guideline for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2012; 43(6): 1711-1737. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STR.0b013e3182587839
Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:August 7, 2023

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