Diagnosis and Risk of Cerebral Aneurysm

Dear Ask The Doctor: Hi, my mother is sick. she had a stroke 2 years ago. Last 5-6 days she has a dizziness every day for 2.3 ours and she feels tired and cant do anything by herself. She went to the hospital and they gave her some medication for seizure and thats all. Today she had an EEG and there where no doctor to read it. She asked doctors to keep her at the hospital for few days but they refused. I was researching the internet and found that she might have an aneurism. My question is would it be recognized on the blood picture because she had done it and it was normal.

Dear Ivana: Aneurysm is the thinning and susbequently filling of a spot in the blood vessel that balloons out and fills with blood.  The bulging aneurysm can put pressure on a nerve or surrounding brain tissue.  It may also leak or rupture, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue (called a hemorrhage).

Aneurysms cannot be detected by a blood test, but requires imaging - CT, MRI or an angiography for diagnosis. Small, unchanging aneurysms generally will not produce symptoms, whereas a larger aneurysm that is steadily growing may press on tissues and nerves, producing symptoms like pain above and behind the eye, numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of the face, vision changes and when an aneurysm bursts, a sudden and extremely severe headache, double vision, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck and/or loss of consciousness may occur. With dizziness as the only symptom it is difficult to suspect that the cause would be an aneurysm. You may consult her family doctor about her symptoms and possible treatment options.