Vertebral Artery Dissection Symptoms

Vertebral artery dissection has many symptoms, the most severe being stroke. The causes are often linked to trauma to the neck or chiropractic manipulation, but can also result from high blood pressure or, in rare cases, from something as mild as blowing the nose. Vertebral artery dissection is the most common cause of stroke in those who are young.

Definition

• Vertebral artery dissection is when the vertebral artery incurs a tear. In most cases this leads to stroke. The tear can be caused by serious trauma or minor trauma.

Symptoms

• The symptoms for vertebral artery dissection can range from minor to severe with stroke being the most severe. Symptoms may include headache, neck pain, stroke, vertigo, paresthesia on one side of face, brain symptoms, visual field defects, ataxia, cortical visual loss, bleeding into the brain, nausea, vomiting, oscillopsia, and hearing loss in one ear.

Treatment

• Vertebral artery dissection is rare, serious, and can affect the individual for days, months, and even years. Treatment depends on the severity of the tear and the symptoms that present. Treatment may include one or more of the following: anticoagulant therapy, neurological monitoring, physical therapy, speech therapy, vestibular therapy, and possibly surgery.

Frequency

• Vertebral artery dissection is relatively rare, but combined with carotid artery dissection it makes up a high percentage of stroke in patients under 45. In the acute stage, vertebral artery dissection has a 10 percent mortality rate. Death occurs due to extensive intracranial dissection, brainstem infarction, or subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Risk Factors

• There are various risk factors that increase the incidence of vertebral artery dissection, including spinal manipulation, yoga, ceiling painting, nose blowing, neck trauma, martial arts, hypertension, oral contraceptive use, migraines, intrinsic vascular pathology, fibromuscular dysplasia, cystic medial necrosis, and recent infection.