Kim Kardashian revealed she was diagnosed with a “little aneurysm,” in the new season of “The Kardashians” that premiered on Hulu this week.
The premiere episode of the reality TV show kicked off with a compilation of clips of what’s to come this season. At one point in the preview, Kardashian can be seen in a medical facility with the top of her head bandaged as she receives an imaging scan. In a voiceover, she explains that doctors discovered a “little aneurysm.”
The clip then pivoted to Kardashian speaking about the diagnosis with her older sister, Kourtney Kardashian Barker, before she is seen in a confessional sharing the difficulties she’s had dealing with her turbulent relationship with her ex-husband, Kanye West, who now goes by Ye.
A representative for Kardashian did not immediately return a request for comment.
The Cleveland Clinic states that up to 6% of people in the U.S. have an unruptured brain aneurysm — meaning they have an aneurysm in their brain that isn’t bleeding. Read on for more information about brain aneurysms, what may cause them and any potential symptoms to look out for.
Neil P. Mockford via Getty Images
Kim Kardashian photographed on Oct. 22 in London, England.
What is a brain aneurysm, and what causes it?
A brain aneurysm is a “bulging, weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel resulting in an abnormal widening or ballooning greater than 50% of the vessel’s normal diameter (width),” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Aneurysms are most often seen in an artery than a vein, but they can occur in any blood vessel.
And while the exact cause of an aneurysm isn’t known, the Cleveland Clinic said that having a first-degree relative, i.e., a biological parent or sibling, with a history of brain aneurysms may increase your risk of developing one.
Additionally, the Cleveland Clinic lists the following conditions and situations that can weaken your artery walls over time:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Substance use, particularly cocaine
- Excessive alcohol use
What are the symptoms associated with brain aneurysms?
The symptoms of a brain aneurysm depend on whether the aneurysm is ruptured or unruptured.
Most unruptured aneurysms don’t cause symptoms, the Cleveland Clinic states. But the medical center notes that if they become large enough, “the bulge in your artery can put pressure on nearby nerves or brain tissue” and can cause headaches, vision changes, dilated pupils, numbness or tingling on your head or face, pain above and behind your eye, or seizures.
The Mayo Clinic says that people may discover they have an unruptured brain aneurysm incidentally, while doing imaging tests for other conditions.
“Most brain aneurysms aren’t serious, especially if they’re small,” the website states. “Most brain aneurysms don’t rupture. They usually don’t cause symptoms or cause health problems.”
But the Mayo Clinic said that a ruptured aneurysm is a very serious condition, and that a key symptom is a headache that people often describe as the worst headache they’ve experienced. According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, there are almost 500,000 deaths worldwide caused by brain aneurysms each year — and half the victims are younger than 50.
Other symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm, in addition to a severe headache, may include nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, blurred or double vision, sensitivity to light, seizure, confusion and loss of consciousness.
How are brain aneurysms diagnosed?
Doctors can diagnose brain aneurysms via CT scans, MRIs or by a cerebral angiography procedure, in which “a neurosurgeon or an interventional neuroradiologist inserts a catheter into a blood vessel in your groin or wrist,” the Cleveland Clinic states.
There are several treatment options for brain aneurysms, including surgery, but the Cleveland Clinic notes that health care providers treat aneurysms based on individual situations and several factors.
For instance, if someone has a small, unruptured aneurysm that isn’t causing symptoms, a health care provider may decide to monitor the aneurysm with regular imaging tests.
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