As a brain aneurysm specialist, I offer care in the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management of brain aneurysms, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and their quality of life.
Brain Aneurysm Treatments in Singapore at Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic
Brain aneurysm treatment calls for advanced technology and an experienced doctor. The Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic in Singapore is a regional destination for high-quality and compassionate care. Our clinic offers compassionate and comprehensive care for brain aneurysm. Using state-of-the-art techniques, advanced diagnostics, and personalized approaches, our team is called to care and stand ready to assist you.
This guide brings together key information to help you understand brain aneurysms from how they form and where they occur, to why some rupture and others remain stable. If you are newly learning about brain aneurysms, you may also explore our beginner-friendly Brain Aneurysms 101 guide covering symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery basics.
Common Questions About Brain Aneurysms
What is a brain aneurysm?
A brain aneurysm is a weakened area in the wall of a brain artery that bulges outward. Many brain aneurysms remain unruptured and cause no symptoms, while others may require monitoring or treatment depending on their size, location and estimated risk of rupture.
What are the early signs of a brain aneurysm?
Many unruptured brain aneurysms do not cause symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include persistent headaches, vision changes, pain around the eye or other neurological symptoms. A ruptured brain aneurysm typically causes a sudden, severe headache and requires immediate emergency medical attention.
How is a brain aneurysm diagnosed?
Brain aneurysms are diagnosed using imaging tests such as CT, CT angiography (CTA), MRI, MR angiography (MRA) or cerebral angiography. The most appropriate investigation depends on your symptoms, medical history and clinical findings.
Does every brain aneurysm need treatment?
No. Many unruptured brain aneurysms can be monitored safely with regular follow-up imaging. Treatment decisions depend on factors such as the aneurysm's size, location, shape, growth, symptoms and your individual risk of rupture.
What treatment options are available for brain aneurysms in Singapore?
Treatment may include regular monitoring, minimally invasive endovascular procedures such as coiling or flow diversion, or surgery in selected cases. A neurointerventional specialist can recommend the most appropriate option after reviewing your imaging and overall health.
What Is a Brain Aneurysm?
Learn the basics of what a brain aneurysm is and how it differs from related conditions.
Why Aneurysms Bleed or Rupture
Some aneurysms remain stable, while others rupture and cause serious complications.
- When Brain Aneurysms Bleed
- Why Some Aneurysms Burst
- Brain Aneurysm Ruptures: Symptoms, Bleeding, and Loss of Consciousness
- Most Common Cause of SAH
- Hunt-Hess Scale
Terms such as brain aneurysm, stroke, and AVM are often confused, even though they describe different neurological and vascular conditions. Explore our educational guide, Brain Aneurysm vs. Stroke vs. AVM: Understanding Brain Bleeds Clearly, explaining the key differences clearly.
Types of Brain Aneurysms
Aneurysms vary in shape and structure, which can influence risk and treatment.
Where Aneurysms Occur
Certain areas of the brain are more prone to aneurysm formation.
More Complex Cases
Some patients may have multiple aneurysms or unique presentations.
When to Consider a Vascular Specialist Assessment in Singapore
A brain aneurysm may be discovered because of symptoms, incidental imaging findings or an increased family risk. Early specialist assessment helps determine whether further investigation, monitoring or treatment is appropriate.
Consider seeking a specialist assessment if you:
- Have been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm on CT, MRI, CTA or MRA imaging
- Have a family history of brain aneurysms or aneurysm-related bleeding
- Have persistent headaches or neurological symptoms that require further evaluation
- Have been advised to undergo brain aneurysm screening because of an inherited condition or other risk factors
- Have been told you have an unruptured brain aneurysm and would like to understand your treatment options
- Would like a second opinion regarding monitoring, minimally invasive treatment or surgery
A specialist consultation includes reviewing your symptoms, medical history, brain imaging and individual risk factors before discussing personalised recommendations for surveillance or treatment.
Seek emergency medical attention immediately if you experience a sudden severe headache, loss of consciousness, seizures, sudden weakness, difficulty speaking or sudden vision changes, as these may indicate a ruptured brain aneurysm or another neurological emergency.
Trying to Learn About Brain Aneurysm? Here are a Few Useful Things to Know.
How do Brain Aneurysms Form?
- A brain aneurysm is a weak spot in a blood vessel that bulges or balloons.
- You aren't born with an aneurysm. They typically develop after the age of 40, often at the points where arteries branch, due to constant pressure from blood flow.
- A brain aneurysm can be caused by factors like high blood pressure, heavy lifting, strong emotions, drug use (e.g., amphetamines, cocaine), and brain trauma.
How are Brain Aneurysms Detected?
- Special imaging tests like CT and MRI can detect cerebral aneurysms.
- The most reliable test is a diagnostic cerebral angiogram, which involves inserting a catheter through a leg vessel to view the brain's blood vessels.
- Having one aneurysm increases the chance of having others (about 20%).
- Small brain aneurysms may not cause symptoms, but larger ones can lead to headaches, localized pain, vision problems, weakness, and seizures.
What Causes a Brain Aneurysm to Bleed?
- Brain aneurysms can bleed, causing a subarachnoid hemorrhage with symptoms like severe headaches, nausea, and coma.
- Once an aneurysm bleeds, there's a 40% chance of death and a 66% chance of brain damage.
- Bleeding can damage the brain directly, and it may also lead to complications like vasospasm, hydrocephalus, and infection.
What are the Treatments Available for a Brain Aneurysm?
- Treatment of a ruptured aneurysm does not reverse brain damage; it prevents further bleeding.
- Treatment methods (surgical clipping or endovascular coiling) are chosen based on factors like aneurysm size, location, shape, and the patient's condition.
- Small, unruptured aneurysms may not require treatment but should be monitored.
- Potential complications of treatment include the risk of re-bleeding and damage to normal blood vessels.
- Follow-up procedures after treatment include post-operative angiograms and routine follow-up angiograms, depending on the treatment method.
- Blood thinners, such as anticoagulants, antiplatelet drugs, and fibrinolytics, play specific roles in preventing blood clots and related conditions.
Understanding brain aneurysms is the first step. The next step is assessing risk and deciding what to do next. You may also want to explore:
- How Doctors Assess Brain Aneurysm Risk
- Diagnosis & Scans
- How to Decide Which Treatment is Right For You
How aware are you when it comes to brain aneurysms? Brain aneurysm awareness matters. Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month in September also highlights the importance of recognising symptoms, understanding risk factors, and improving public awareness of brain aneurysms. Improving public awareness of brain aneurysm symptoms, risk factors, and warning signs may help reduce delays in diagnosis and potentially improve outcomes for some patients.
Learn the steps you can take to protect your brain and spread awareness or test your knowledge about brain aneurysm prevalence in Singapore with our quiz from specialized brain aneurysm clinic, the Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic.
Understanding Brain Aneurysm Symptoms, Risks, and Prevention
The most effective way on how to prevent brain aneurysm is to reduce the risk of a brain aneurysm is to manage controllable risk factors and maintain long-term vascular health. While not all aneurysms can be prevented, controlling blood pressure, avoiding smoking, and addressing underlying medical conditions can significantly lower the risk of aneurysm formation and rupture. To better protect your brain health, understanding symptoms is just as important as prevention. Click on the sections below to learn more about early warning signs, symptoms in women, and signs of an unruptured and ruptured brain aneurysm.
Early Symptoms of a Brain Aneurysm
Brain aneurysms can be life-threatening, and early recognition of warning signs is crucial. Not all symptoms appear at once, and some may be subtle, but knowing what to look for can save lives.
Here are some possible early symptoms of an unruptured brain aneurysm and some individuals with an unruptured aneurysm may experience one or more of the following:
- Persistent or unusual headaches, especially those that feel different from your usual headache pattern
- Pain behind or around one eye
- Visual changes, including blurred vision, double vision, or difficulty focusing
- Facial numbness, tingling, or weakness
- Neck pain or stiffness
- Dizziness or balance problems
- Difficulty concentrating or subtle cognitive changes
- A general sense that something feels neurologically “off”
These symptoms do not mean that an aneurysm is about to rupture, and most people with these complaints do not have a brain aneurysm. However, new, unexplained, or progressively worsening neurological symptoms should always be assessed, particularly when they do not respond to usual treatments.
We’ve also compiled a collection of resources to help you understand the most common symptoms, risk factors, and considerations for different populations, empowering you to take timely action.
You can also read the full list of Brain Aneurysm warning signs and symptoms.
Unruptured Brain Aneurysm Symptoms
Unruptured Brain Aneurysm Symptoms Include:
- Numbness or weakness on one side of the face
- A drooping eyelid
- Headache
- Blurred or double vision
- Dilated pupil of one eye
- Pain behind and above one eye
Find out more here about the silent but not harmless unruptured brain aneurysm symptoms.
Ruptured Brain Aneurysm Symptoms
Ruptured Brain Aneurysm Symptoms Include:
- As in an unruptured brain aneurysm, blurred or double vision
- A severe, sudden headache, which patients often
- describe as the “worst headache of their life”
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Stiffness in the neck
- Extreme sensitivity to light
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Altered mental state or confusion
Note: If you believe someone displays symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm, you must seek medical assistance immediately. Timely diagnosis and treatment can improve the chances of survival and reduce severe complications due to a debilitating stroke, for example. Read more here about early and progressive ruptured brain aneurysm symptoms.
Brain Aneurysm Symptoms in Women
While there are no symptoms that occur only in women and not in men when it comes to brain aneurysms, women are approximately 2–3 times more likely than men to have an intracranial (brain) aneurysm. The difference becomes more pronounced after age 50, particularly post-menopause. Women also have a slightly higher lifetime risk of rupture.
Symptoms are determined by:
- Whether the aneurysm is ruptured or unruptured
- Its size and location
- Whether it is pressing on nearby nerves or brain tissue
Read how females have a higher risk and what are the key differences between men and women when it comes to brain aneurysms.
Brain Aneurysm Resources
Discover brain aneurysm resources that go beyond the basics designed for patients. Understand the meaning of a brain aneurysm condition, the causes, symptoms, signs, and more. Connect with your brain health.
Put Brain Aneurysm on Your Health Radar
Did you experience the worst headache of your life? Thoughts could be racing through your mind. A brain aneurysm is a weak spot in a blood vessel in the brain that can change over time. The key concern is when an aneurysm ruptures, which can disrupt blood flow, affect brain tissue, and lead to serious brain damage. Controllable conditions like high blood pressure can increase this risk and treatment options can depend on the condition. Surgical clipping is one option that prevents blood from entering the weakened area. In many cases, minimally invasive treatments can also be used to restore normal blood flow and reduce risk. We have created structured guides to help you explore each stage in more detail:
A simple (computed tomography) CT scan could be just what the doctor ordered and the first step in early detection and prevention of a brain aneurysm. Come in for an easy consultation with our brain aneurysm specialist in Singapore to be on your health radar.
Other Health Conditions
The Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic is your "go-to" facility for various neurointerventional / stroke conditions and treatments. To arrange an appointment with Dr. Manish Taneja, our brain aneurysm specialist, contact us. You can also call us at (+65) 6904 8084 for a consultation.