Did you know President Joe Biden, actresses Emilia Clarke and Sharon Stone, singer-songwriters Neil Young and Bret Michaels and record producer Quincy Jones all have something in common? They all had a brain aneurysm and continued to live productive and successful lives after receiving proper treatment and rehabilitation. Brain aneurysms are treatable and beatable!

But why don’t we hear more success stories like these? Perhaps it’s because many people still don’t know what a brain aneurysm is. It’s all too common to not pay attention until the worst outcome happens or they are commonly misdiagnosed. Let’s break this cycle!

Why Aren’t More People Aware They Have a Brain Aneurysm?

Many people are unaware that they have a brain aneurysm because aneurysms develop silently, are asymptomatic or are misdiagnosed. If symptoms caused by a brain aneurysm do occur, often they will masquerade as other medical conditions such as migraines, which can mislead medical professionals and patients. Routine screenings are also not common practice despite the fact that there are 1 in 50 people in the U.S. (6.5 million) who have a brain aneurysm. Unfortunately, in many cases, brain aneurysms are discovered by accident or after they rupture.

Why is it Important to Find Out if I Have a Brain Aneurysm?

The highest number of long-term and short-term disabilities or death occur after a brain aneurysm rupture. This is the moment when a weak, bulging spot on an artery in the brain releases blood into the space between the skull and brain. This can happen suddenly like a balloon popping or slowly over a period of time. Even though a rupture is currently happening to one person every 18 minutes in the United States, it could be avoided if a brain aneurysm is detected and treated early.

How Can We Decrease Potential Brain Aneurysm Life-long Disabilities or Death? 

If an aneurysm is treated properly before, during and after a rupture, the risk of death or long-term effects, both cognitively and physically, can significantly decrease. Here’s a collection of information highlighting ways to help beat an aneurysm:

BEATING BRAIN ANEURYSMS THROUGH AWARENESS 

• Education! Becoming brain aneurysm savvy will help you advocate for yourself during all stages of a brain aneurysm journey. Begin with the basics here.
• Familiarize yourself with ruptured brain aneurysm warning signs and symptoms before it happens! Knowing these could save your life.
• Understand that brain aneurysms could be masquerading as other symptoms and ask for a brain scan. It’s OK to advocate for yourself despite a medical professional leading you down a different diagnosis path.

BEATING BRAIN ANEURYSMS BEFORE A RUPTURE

• In 3 out of 4 cases, misdiagnosis results from a failure to do a scan. Learn more about available imaging tests here.
• Are you at high-risk? Here are the causes and risk factors that contribute to brain aneurysm formation.
• Did you know there’s a strong connection of brain aneurysm development in families that have had two or more first-degree relatives (parent, child, or sibling)? Learn more about familial aneurysms here.
   

BEATING BRAIN ANEURYSMS THROUGH TREATMENT/REHABILITATION

• Treatment options differ depending on the location of the brain aneurysm, size, shape and whether or not it has ruptured. The most popular treatment options are open surgery (clipping) and endovascular therapy (coils, stents, flow diversion).
• Maximize your success for recovery with the proper rehabilitation programs after surgery. Here’s an overview of the different rehabilitation services for brain aneurysm patients.

  BEATING BRAIN ANEURYSMS THROUGH RESEARCH/FEDERAL FUNDING

• Research is one of the best ways to find and eliminate the negative impacts caused by brain aneurysms. Each year, the Brain Aneurysm Foundation allots donation money to award research grants.
• Federal funding for brain aneurysm research needs to increase. With this help, life-saving advancements will get the funds needed to move forward and without further delay. BAFound has been advocating for this on Capitol Hill and you can help too. Ask your Senator to support federal funding in this quick and easy way!

Breaking the Cycle Together!

Now that you have a better understanding of brain aneurysms, we hope you can not only advocate for yourself or a loved one, but also spread life-saving information to unaware individuals. Brain aneurysms are
treatable and beatable and the first step towards a success story starts with you!