The Difference Between Stroke And Brain Aneurysm - The Symptoms You Should Know

Jun 05, 2018

Individuals often use the phrases stroke and aneurysm as if they were the same thing. While they are different, they can have equally traumatic results. It is important to know how each situation presents itself. There are differences between the two situations that must be addressed medically. Being able to report quickly and calmly to emergency personnel the symptoms involved can often help them provide the best possible assistance in the least amount of time.

The first thing you should know is that a stroke and a brain aneurysm are related to each other. Both are life-threatening. They do present with different symptoms and require different treatment. One of these situations can lead to the other. For example, a brain aneurysm can lead to a stroke.

What happens if you have a brain aneurysm? Generally, brain aneurysms develop when there is a weak area in a brain artery. The area becomes distended and swollen, creating a blood-filled bulge. This in itself may not be immediately dangerous, but if it becomes large and ruptures, it can cause serious problems.

Unless it grows in size or ruptures, an aneurysm that has not ruptured is a major health problem and will cause several of these symptoms. They include an unexplained headache, vision and eye problems that include pain around the eye, limited eye movement, difficulty seeing clearly, loss of balance, difficulty thinking and a numbness on one side of the face. There is often time to obtain medical assistance, but time is important since the most common treatment of an aneurysm is surgery.

If an aneurysm exists and it ruptures, the symptoms that appear without warning are sudden and intense. The primary symptom is a sudden and intense headache that suddenly appears and has no apparent cause. For many patients, this headache is often described as the “worst headache possible” or the “worst headache known to man”. Additional symptoms include nausea and vomiting, light sensitivity, confusion drowsiness, one side of the body is usually weak and numb, pupils dilate and there may be seizures and a loss of consciousness. There can be no delay in obtaining medical assistance.

What then is a stroke and how do you know if one is happening? A stroke is an interruption in the blood flow in the brain. This can be caused by a blood clot or narrowing of an artery, or a rupture in one of the blood vessels supplying the brain with blood. If an aneurysm already exists and ruptures, a stroke can result.

The medical community using the acronym FAST to draw your attention to the symptoms of a stroke. F is for face – there may be a droop on one side and someone may not be able to smile. A is for arms. A stroke victim often cannot lift their arms up and keep them up. S is for speech that may be slurred. T is for time which means time is of the essence and emergency medical assistance must be called.

Someone may not present all of the symptoms at the same time. If you do have to call for emergency assistance or bring someone to an emergency room, you need to be prepared to list the symptoms that are occurring.

There are health factors that will increase the risk of a stroke or an aneurysm. Elevated blood pressure, overweight, smoking, family history and lack of physical activity can all contribute to risk for a cardiac incident.

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Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!