Brain Aneurysm: Warning Signs, Treatment & Recovery

Brain aneurysm, which is also called a cerebral aneurysm or intracranial aneurysm is a serious and life-threatening illness. Early symptoms of a brain aneurysm include severe headache, neck pain, nausea and can be triggered due to factors like smoking, high BP, and so on. This illness mostly happens at the base of the brain known as the circle of Willis.

In this article let us, in brief, discuss the triggers and signs of a brain aneurysm.

Overview of Intracranial Aneurysm

A brain aneurysm is a condition where people have an abnormal growth or bump in the wall of an artery in the brain. Weak arteries are said to be the triggers of these excess growths in the brain. When body fluids circulate continuously through these weak arteries, it increases the pressure in walls and leads to excess growth outwards. These abnormal growths resemble the shape of a berry and hence they are termed berry aneurysms. In some cases, this aneurysm grows larger than one inch and this type is called a giant aneurysm.

The giant aneurysm is more likely to get ruptured. When it ruptures, it causes hemorrhage into the skull and brain. This hemorrhage in the brain further leads to a severe condition called a hemorrhagic stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a critical and life-threatening condition, depending on the severity it results in brain damage or even death. Most of the people with subarachnoid hemorrhage die within two to three weeks and a very few percent of people who survive face brain damage and even disabilities.

When compared to men, women are at an increased risk of developing a brain aneurysm. A brain aneurysm is commonly seen in people between ages 35 – 60. In very few cases it can also affect children.

What causes a brain aneurysm?

The exact root causes of a brain aneurysm are unclear, but it is believed that a person can inherit the tendency to form aneurysms with genetics. People are not usually born with aneurysm, several risk factors can trigger the development of an aneurysm like

Genetics or family history
High BP
Smoking
Aging
Excess alcohol consumption
Cocaine and other drug abuse
Trauma
Abnormal circulation of body fluids at the junction of arteries

In few cases, people may develop aneurysms after a severe head injury, and also people who had brain aneurysms previously are at an increased risk to develop another.

Symptoms of a brain aneurysm

Most brain aneurysms do not produce any signs, they are discovered while undergoing tests for other conditions. Whereas, giant aneurysm increases pressure in the brain tissues and nerves in the brain and leads to symptoms like

Sudden onset of severe headache
Stiff neck or neck pain
Nausea and confusion
Droopy eyelid
Pain in forehead and above or behind the eyes
Numbness or weakness in one side of the body
Sensitivity to light
Seizures
Vision problems

Sudden onset of these above symptoms should not be neglected and it should be treated as an emergency condition and suggest to be treated immediately.

Spondylosis refers to a degenerative process affecting the vertebral disc. It is a type of arthritis that affects the spine, it is also called as spinal osteoarthritis. Spondylosis is a process of aging, as we put our bodies through lot of stress and strain every day it leads to change the various structures of spine. With age the discs breakdown, looses the fluid and become stiffer which results in pain.

Types of Spondylosis

Spondylosis can occur in different parts of your spine. Depending on the part of your body it is classified into different types, they are

Cervical spondylosis (cervical region is the neck region of the body)
Thoracic spondylosis (pain in upper region of back i.e. thoracic spine)
Lumbar spondylosis (degeneration of spine in the lower back)
Lumbosacral spondylosis (natural deterioration of lower spine where the lumbar spine meets the sacral spine)
Multi level spondylosis (degeneration takes place in both cervical and lumbar region)

What are the Causes of Spondylosis ?
As the body ages it experience some wear and tear i.e. degeneration, it is common in aged people. As we age, the anatomical components that support the spine naturally begin to deteriorate, this deterioration leads to spinal disorders called Spondylosis. Poor postures, loss of the normal spinal curves, accidents or repetitive stress injuries, Herniated disc, bulging disc, bone spurs abnormality in the body’s anatomy also lead to Spondylosis. Aging, family history and obesity can also cause Spondylosis.
It is not easy to identify Spondylosis as a cause of spinal pain or back pain. Now a day’s spinal pain or back pain or neck pain are due to bad posture, stress and due to long working hours. Doctors perform some exams like physical and neurological exams, and imaging tests like X-ray, CT scan, and MRI to find the exact cause of pain.

Symptoms of Spondylosis :
With aging the spine becomes weak and degenerate which leads to painful symptoms. Below are few Spondylosis symptoms

Pain
Joint or muscle stiffness usually in the morning
Loss of sensation
Muscular weakness
Balance problems
Tenderness in the area of nerve compression
Inflammation.

Treatment for Spondylosis is conservative; with some changes in lifestyle people can manage pain.
Weight loss can help reduce the pain in overweight patients. Other therapeutic options are

Physical therapy
Pain medications
Massage
Exercise
Stretching

Homeopathy for Spondylosis :
The Homeopathic treatment for Spondylosis provides relief in pain and stiffness and also controls the other symptoms like tingling, numbness and weakness. Homeopathic Spondylosis treatment stimulate the genetic code to enhance and boost the immune responses for removal of on-going inflammatory changes. With the help of homeopathy the pain in the neck, shoulders, head and arms is treated. Homeopathy for Spondylosis can improve the quality of life by giving you relief from pain; swelling and can reduce the pain due to spine-compression, stiffness and loss of mobility.