Flying Safely with a Brain Aneurysm
Discover the risks and precautions associated with flying for individuals with brain aneurysms. Learn how changes in cabin pressure and altitude can impact blood flow and what steps to take to ensure safe air travel.
How Can Flying Impact Brain Aneurysm?
An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel. It is caused by a weakness in the vessel wall. The most common locations are the aorta and the brain. Brain aneurysms are also called intracranial or cerebral aneurysms. They typically cause noticeable symptoms only if they burst, but if they do it causes a serious medical emergency.
The vast majority of brain aneurysms don't rupture and most people with detected brain aneurysms don't require treatment beyond regular monitoring. For most patients, flying is considered safe. This article is part of our guide to living with a brain aneurysm and managing daily activities safely. For a broader overview, visit, Living With a Brain Aneurysm: Lifestyle and Daily Activities.
Can You Fly With a Brain Aneurysm?
The majority of patients can fly in a conventional, pressurized plane. However, there have been a few cases of aneurysms rupturing during or immediately after a flight. It's also safe to fly in small planes that generally don't go that high, and non-powered flight (balloons or gliders) should also be safe.
However, you should avoid flying for a while right after your initial diagnosis. Try to stay on the ground for a couple of weeks, and talk to your doctor.
Bear in mind that millions of people fly with undiagnosed aneurysms all the time. Most brain aneurysms produce no symptoms and go undiagnosed.
Risks and Dangers of Flying
While it doesn't appear that flying commercial increases your risk, there may be risk in the extremely rare event of the cabin losing pressure.
It is also unsafe to fly with a leaking aneurysm. If you develop a sudden, severe headache that lasts for more than a couple of days, seek medical attention and do not fly.
You should talk to your doctor about flying. While it is considered safe, there may be specific risks for your personal circumstances. If your brain aneurysm has symptoms, such as numbness or weakness on one side of the face, headache, blurred vision, drooping eyelid, or pain behind and above one eye, then it may be more risky to fly.
Tips for Flying Safely With a Brain Aneurysm
In the very rare cases when issues have happened, they have occurred while ascending or descending. Choose a non stop flight if possible, even if it means traveling further to the airport, and limit legs if it is not. Wear a medical ID bracelet saying you have a brain aneurysm so if you do have symptoms, flight attendants will know what is going on. Preparing for travel also includes knowing what to bring with you.
The biggest problem most people have is anxiety. Even though you have been told it is safe, part of your brain might not want to acknowledge this fact. Bring your favorite calming mechanism, such as aromatherapy, neck pillows, noise cancelling headphones, a blanket, etc. Also, there's some evidence that a brain aneurysm may increase your risk of airsickness, so take your favorite nausea medicine and/or ginger. Make sure this stays on your person...keep it in your personal item in case you have to check your carry-on, or in pockets.
Remember that there is no evidence flying increases the risk and that the incidents that have been reported are so rare that it's unclear whether flying contributed.
Flying With a Ruptured Aneurysm After Clipping or Coiling
It is generally safe to fly if you have had an aneurysm clipped or coiled, except for immediately after the procedure. You should talk to your surgeon about when it is safe to fly, as it may depend on how large the aneurysm was and other underlying conditions.
Minimally Invasive Brain Aneurysm Treatment Options in Singapore
Many brain aneurysms need no treatment other than monitoring. When a brain aneurysm does require treatment, Dr. Manish Taneja, our brain aneurysm specialist, uses minimally invasive techniques including coiling. A 5mm incision is made in the groin then catheters are advanced into the brain to block the aneurysm from inside, preventing it from rupturing.
This treatment is extremely safe and has a quick recovery. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm or has symptoms that might indicate one, contact Supreme Vascular to schedule an appointment today.
Consult a Seasoned Brain Aneurysm Specialist
If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of a brain aneurysm, seek immediate medical assistance from the Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic. Our brain aneurysm clinic and specialist based in Singapore, Dr. Manish Taneja provides comprehensive management of complex multisystem surgical and medical conditions. Contact us today to fill in and submit contact information and inquiry details.
Dr. Manish Taneja, a certified neurointervention specialist, has extensive experience treating headaches and brain aneurysms since 1995. He can provide expert guidance regarding treatment options considering your specific headache. Come in for a further evaluation.
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? Could it be a brain aneurysm that ruptures, which means bleeding in the brain? Thoughts could be racing through your mind. Then what is the difference between unruptured (a weak or thin spot on an artery in the brain that balloons) or ruptured brain aneurysm? An unruptured brain aneurysm may cause subtle warning signs, such as pain or numbness on one side of the face, while symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm can include intense headache, and loss of consciousness. If you’re wondering, then the Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic in Singapore is here to help. It’s important to look out for the tell-tale brain aneurysm symptoms, signs, causes, and risk factors. In emergency care, doctors use computed tomography (CT) scans to produce detailed images that reveal bleeding in the blood vessel in the brain and show how cerebrospinal fluid is being displaced by pressure from leaked blood. Advanced imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses a powerful magnetic field, helps identify the damaged artery and guide the most appropriate treatment for brain aneurysm, whether through open surgery or minimally invasive techniques that seal the vessel and prevents blood from continuing to leak into delicate brain structures. At our specialized brain aneurysm clinic in Singapore, we help patients understand how conditions such as an arteriovenous malformation, high blood pressure, and weaknesses in the artery wall of a blood vessel or vessel in the brain can increase the risk of a brain aneurysm. Certain risk factors, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and polycystic kidney disease (PKD), can further weaken blood vessels and raise the likelihood of rupture.
When patients are referred to a neurosurgeon for a brain aneurysm, many assume open brain surgery is the only option. Thanks to modern technology, brain aneurysms today can be treated by neurointervention specialists using minimally invasive, image-guided techniques. These treatments are performed through the blood vessels, without open surgery, and are often recommended when surgery is not necessary or carries higher risk.
Dr. Manish Taneja has been performing brain aneurysm treatments offering personalized treatment options since 1995 from surgical clipping where the aneurysm is completely clipped to stop blood flowing into the weakened area, which prevents blood from re-entering the aneurysm sac and reduces the risk of future bleeding to latest minimally invasive procedures. Each patient is unique as is the size and location of the aneurysm. Your brain has different conditions to treat the aneurysm and artery vessel walls of a blood vessel in the brain. This calls for personalised brain aneurysm treatment depending on your symptoms, family, history, medication, and more. A simple 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 conditions and treatments. To arrange an appointment with Dr. Manish Taneja, our neurointervention specialist, contact us. You can also call us at (+65) 6904 8084 for a consultation.