Brain aneurysm: Here's all you need to know about the severe brain disease

A brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. An aneurysm often looks like a berry hanging on a stem. a weak spot in the wall of a blood vessel inside the brain that can sometimes burst and cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Symptoms of the disease

Severe headache is the key symptom of a ruptured aneurysm. This headache is often described as the "worst headache" ever experienced.-Intense headache that comes on suddenly-Loss of consciousness-Nausea and vomiting-Loss of balance in things like walking and normal coordination-Stiff neck-Dilated pupils-Sensitivity to light-Sudden blurred or double vision-Confusion or trouble with mental awareness-SeizureAlthough brain aneurysms usually don’t show symptoms, they can press on the brain and nerves as they get bigger.

How is the disease diagnosed?

Computerized tomography (CT) A CT scan, which is a specialized X-ray exam, is usually the first test used to determine if you have bleeding in the brain or some other type of stroke. The test produces images that are 2D "slices" of the brain.

Cerebrospinal fluid testIf you've had a subarachnoid hemorrhage, there will most likely be red blood cells in the fluid surrounding your brain and spine (cerebrospinal fluid). If you have symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm but a CT scan doesn't show evidence of bleeding, a test of your cerebrospinal fluid can help make a diagnosis.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) This imaging technique uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the brain, either 2D images or 3D images.

Cerebral angiogramDuring this procedure, a thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted into a large artery, usually in the groin or the wrist. The catheter threads past your heart to the arteries in your brain. A special dye injected into the catheter travels to arteries throughout your brain.

Treatments for the disease 

Surgical clippingA section of your skull is removed to locate the aneurysm. A metal clip is placed on the opening of the aneurysm to cut off the blood flow. Your skull is then sealed shut.

Endovascular coilingThis doesn’t require surgery that opens the skull. Your doctor will insert a catheter into your groin to reach the affected blood vessel where the aneurysm is located.The doctor will send tiny platinum coils through the tube and place them inside the aneurysm. The coils conform to the shape of the aneurysm, stopping the blood flow there. This may be safer than surgical clipping, but it has a higher chance of an aneurysm bleeding again.

Flow divertersNewer treatments available for brain aneurysms include tubular stent-like implants (flow diverters) that work by diverting blood flow away from an aneurysm sac. The diversion stops blood movement within the aneurysm and stimulates the body to heal the site, encouraging reconstruction of the parent artery. Flow diverters may be particularly useful in larger aneurysms that can't be safely treated with other options.