After Kim Kardashian was left devastated after doctors found a small aneurysm in her brain during an MRI scan, The Mirror takes a look at the symptoms to look out for
A routine MRI scan revealed a small aneurysm in Kim Kardashian’s brain, which she said doctors attributed to the stress of her divorce from Kanye West.
The 45-year-old reality TV icon shared the news on the season seven premiere of The Kardashians while speaking with sister Kourtney Kardashian, 46. “They found a little aneurysm,” Kim said, before a visibly shocked Kourtney placed her hand over her chest and replied: “Whoa.”
The episode showed Kim at a medical facility and being rolled into an MRI machine as images of her brain appeared on a monitor. In a later scene, the mother-of-four became tearful on the phone, as she asked: “Why the f**k is this happening?”
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During the emotional scenes, Kim also reflected on the stress of her marriage and divorce from Kanye West, stating that the turmoil of it all contributed to her terrifying health woes.
According to the NHS, an aneurysm is a ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain. If it ruptures, it can lead to severe internal bleeding and be life-threatening. Small aneurysms that have not ruptured are usually monitored with regular check-ups rather than immediate surgery.
Most brain aneurysms are small and do not cause symptoms. They’re often found during a test for another condition – like Kim’s.
If you have a larger aneurysm, you may get symptoms such as:
- a headache
- pain above or around your eye
- changes in your vision, such as double vision
- dizziness and balance problems
- numbness or weakness on 1 side of your face
- difficulty concentrating and speaking
- problems with your short-term memory
If a brain aneurysm bursts, it can cause a bleed on your brain called a subarachnoid haemorrhage.
The main symptom is a sudden, severe headache that’s sometimes described as a “thunderclap headache”.
Treatment is not usually required for small brain aneurysms that do not cause symptoms. This is because they often remain stable in size and have a very low risk of rupturing.
In these cases, your doctor may recommend regular follow-up scans to monitor the aneurysm and check for any changes.
If there is a significant risk of rupture – or if the aneurysm has already burst – surgery is typically necessary.
The two main surgical options are:
- Surgical clipping – a small metal clip is placed around the base of the affected blood vessel to stop blood flow into the aneurysm.
- Endovascular surgery – a thin coil or wire mesh is inserted inside the aneurysm to reduce blood flow and encourage clot formation.
Your surgeon will discuss which procedure is most suitable for you and explain the potential risks and benefits.
Both procedures are carried out under general anaesthetic, meaning you’ll be asleep and won’t feel any pain or discomfort during surgery.
The exact cause of brain aneurysms is not always clear. However, several factors can increase the risk, including:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Having a close relative with a brain aneurysm
- Head or blood vessel injury
- Use of certain drugs, such as cocaine
- Certain genetic conditions, such as autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
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