How to Recognize Brain Aneurysm Signs

A brain aneurysm is the bulging of the wall of a blood vessel in the brain. You can suffer from an unruptured, ruptured or a leaking aneurysm. Unruptured brain aneurysms are dangerous, but frequently symptomless. A ruptured brain aneurysm is more commonly called a "stroke." These are potentially life-threatening and almost always present with a severe headache or other symptoms.

Unruptured Brain Aneurysms

• Larger unruptured brain aneurysms can cause pain above or behind the eye, a dilated pupil, a change in vision, a numbness or weakness on one side of the face and/or a drooping eyelid.

Ruptured Aneurysms

• Ruptured brain aneurysms almost always result in severe headaches. These headaches typically present very suddenly and are often preceded or accompanied by sensitivity to light.

Other Symptoms

• Other symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm include a stiff neck, blurred vision, seizures, nausea, confusion and loss of consciousness. Note that some patients may display several of these symptoms, while others may present few or none. Given that the damage from aneurysms can be minimized with immediate medical care, it is a good idea to seek medical attention if any of these symptoms present with a severe headache.

Leaking Aneurysm

• A leaking aneurysm almost always ruptures eventually. A sudden, sharp headache is typical of a leaking aneurysm. You should not ignore a sudden headache if you have a family or personal history of aneurysms.