The bulging of blood vessels is known as an aneurysm. There are three main types of aneurysm named after the location in which they arise. Ventricular aneurysm takes place in the heart’s wall. An aortic aneurysm happens within the aorta, the major blood vessel that transmits blood from the heart. Cerebral aneurysm, sometimes called berry aneurysm, arises in the brain’s blood vessel walls.
Cerebral aneurysm or brain aneurysm is an abnormal condition characterized by a bulge in the brain’s blood vessel. You can picture a brain aneurysm as a berry or a balloon suspended on a stem. There are cases of a ruptured brain aneurysm, meaning that it busted and bled through the brain. A busted aneurysm has a high chance of bursting again in the future. It is especially crucial within 2 to 3 days after the first rupture.
While most brain aneurysms do not show symptoms, a ruptured brain aneurysm is dangerous and needs immediate medical intervention. A ruptured brain aneurysm can cause stroke and even death. Symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm include extreme headache, nausea, seizure, light sensitivity, loss of consciousness, and vomiting. Dormant types of an aneurysm in the brain are hardly noticed and are often detected through medical tests for a different condition. An unruptured brain aneurysm can be treated to inhibit its bursting in the future. The best way to know what kind of treatment you need is to consult with your physician.
A brain aneurysm’s root cause is still unknown, but this article expounds eight possible brain aneurysm causes.
1. High blood pressure
Doctors associate unmanaged hypertension to a brain aneurysm. Untreated high blood pressure weakens the brain’s blood vessel and other vessels found in the entire body. Hypertension deteriorates blood vessels by exerting too much pressure. One condition that causes high blood pressure is Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). It is a genetic condition that interferes with kidney function. Aside from inducing high blood pressure, ADPKD also creates cysts in the brain tissue.
2. Inherited conditions
Some medical conditions present at birth are linked with a brain aneurysm, meaning that people who have these conditions are predisposed to the aneurysm. Some of these conditions include Marfan’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Polycystic kidney disease, Cerebral arteriovenous malformation (brain AVM), and family history of a brain aneurysm. Marfan’s syndrome is a genetic condition that impairs arteries’ formation and leads to a brain aneurysm. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a known condition that involves the connective tissue that declines blood vessels. People with Polycystic kidney disease are at high risk of developing brain aneurysm because this disease elevates blood pressure. Brain AVM interferes with the blood flow due to the unusual connection of the brain’s veins and arteries. A family history of a brain aneurysm, especially in the first-degree relative, puts one at risk of acquiring the condition.
3. Smoking
Cigarette smoking raises blood pressure. As mentioned above, high blood pressure is among the possible brain aneurysm causes. Smoking also affects the blood flow of your body. It allows blood to go in some organs and inhibits the blood flow to others. A study shows that treated brain aneurysm patients who smoke are three times more vulnerable to aneurysm recurrence. In women, developing a brain aneurysm is four times likely for those who smoke.
4. Straining when passing stools
In rare cases, straining during a bowel movement can develop or ruptured a brain aneurysm. When people have trouble moving their stools, they do an action called the Valsalva maneuver. This move involves holding the breath and exhaling while the mouth and nose are closed. Valsalva maneuver is often done when someone gets ready to lift heavy things. This action can raise blood pressure in the brain, bringing about a ruptured aneurysm or stroke.
5. Anger
Intense emotions like anger can raise blood pressure and trigger the development of a brain aneurysm or rupture pre-existing ones. Anger increases the chance of a leaking brain aneurysm by seven times.
6. Age and Sex
Although brain aneurysm can affect anyone despite age and sex, the Brain Aneurysm Foundation declares that brain aneurysm typically occurs among people between 35 and 60 years old. This brain condition is also more prevalent among women than men.
