People in Washington State who have heard about brain aneursyms may not always fully understand what these things are or how they may be identified. As explained by the Brain Aneursym Foundation, these little bulges in the sides of blood vessels in the brain do not always produce visible symptoms. However, that does not mean that they are always without symptoms. The fact is that some cases do involve warning signs and these signs require appropriate response.
Some of the symptoms that patients and care providers should take seriously are the combination of thinks like unusual or sudden speech problems, visual disturbances like seeing double or having blurry vision, a headache in a very specific area, pupil dilation and pain that is felt behind the eye. When there is the potential to suspect that a brain aneurysm may be present there are several types of tests that may be able to confirm this.
WebMD explains that an angiogram may offer the best path to detecting a brain aneurysm. An MRI or a CT scan may also be used in some cases. Whether or not any treatment is required for a brain aneurysm depends on a few things.
An aneurysm that has ruptured does require treatment to prevent permanent damage or death from ongoing bleeding in the brain. An unruptured brain aneurysm may be able to be left alone and monitored. Patients will want to carefully consider their options and the treatment types before making a final decision. Time can often be of the essence when addressing a brain aneurysm.