What are the symptoms of brain aneurysm?
The headache associated with a leaking aneurysm is severe. Blood is very irritating to the brain and causes significant pain. Patients may describe the “worst headache of their life,” and the healthcare provider needs to have an appreciation of brain aneurysm as a potential cause of this type of pain. The headache may be associated with nausea, vomiting, and change in vision. A subarachnoid hemorrhage also causes pain and stiffness of the neck. How is brain aneurysm diagnosed? The diagnosis of brain aneurysm begins with a high index of suspicion by the healthcare provider. The history of the headache, an acute onset of the worst headache of the patient’s life, associated with a stiff neck and an ill-appearing patient on physical examination, typically lead the healthcare provider to order a CT (computerized tomography) scan of the head. This will show a subarachnoid hemorrhage in more than 90% of cases of ruptured aneurysm. In the few cases that are not recognized by CT, the healthcare
