A brain aneurysm is a weak, bulging area in the wall of an artery that supplies blood to the brain. Aneurysms can be hereditary or caused by hardening of the arteries and aging. Some risk factors can be prevented, others cannot. Risk factors can increase the risk of an aneurysm or, if you already have an aneurysm, it could increase the risk of rupture. Causes: Risk factors: Family history: People who have had family members with aneurysms in the past are more likely to have them than those who do not suffer from them. Previous aneurysm: People who have had them before are more likely to get them again. Gender: Women are more likely to develop a brain aneurysm Race: African Americans are more likely to get them than whites High blood pressure: A greater chance of an aneurysm with a history of hypertension Smoking: Cigarette use greatly increases the chances of a brain aneurysm rupture. Symptoms: Brain aneurysms have no symptoms and are usually detected only during unrelated tests. In some cases, an unruptured aneurysm will cause problems by pressing on areas of the brain. When this happens, the person may suffer from severe headaches, blurred vision, changes in speech, and neck pain, depending on which areas of the brain are affected and the severity of the aneurysm. Ruptured aneurysms often appear suddenly and unexpectedly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Diagnosis: Because many times aneurysms do not present any symptoms, they are usually detected during the diagnosis of a different disease. However, if your doctor suspects an aneurysm, he or she may perform the following test: A CT scan: This will help find bleeding spots in the brain A CTA scan: CTA is a more precise method of evaluating blood vessels. An MRA scan: MRA uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to provide images of blood vessels in the body Cerebral angiogram: During this X-ray test, a catheter is inserted through a blood vessel in the groin or arm and moved through the vessel into the brain. A dye is then injected into the cerebral artery. As with the tests above, the dye allows any problems in the artery, including aneurysms, to be seen on the x-ray. Although this test is more invasive and carries greater risks than previous tests, it is the best way to locate small (less than 5 mm) brain aneurysms. Treatment: If an aneurysm is small and the risk of rupture is low, your doctor may wait and observe you because surgery can be risky and dangerous. If the aneurysm is large and causing pain or if you have a history of ruptures, your doctor may recommend surgery. 2 types of surgery can be performed for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms: endovascular embolization. During this procedure, a small tube is inserted into the affected artery and placed near the aneurysm. For coil embolization, soft metal coils are then moved through the tube into the aneurysm, filling the aneurysm and reducing the risk of it rupturing. In mesh embolization, the mesh is placed in the aneurysm, reducing blood flow to the aneurysm and making it less likely to rupture. These procedures are less invasive than surgery. But they carry risks, including aneurysm rupture. Surgical cutout. This surgery involves placing a small metal clip around the base of the aneurysm to isolate it from normal circulation.