Could You Have a Time Bomb in Your Brain?

HealthyWoman from Bottom Line to your Address Book or Safe List.LearnВ howВ here.Could You Have a Time Bomb in Your Brain?Hidden inside the brains of about 1.5% to 5% of people in the US there is or someday will be a potentially deadly "bomb" that could blow at any moment.I’m talking about a cerebral aneurysm, a weak area in an artery in the brain that causes a balloonlike bulge in the blood vessel wall.Though many aneurysms remain small and never cause problems, some grow and leak blood into the brain or rupture without warning, often causing stroke or death.

When detected before rupturing, cerebral aneurysms can be surgically repaired in many cases, I heard from Wouter I.Schievink, MD, director of microvascular neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.So a vital self-defense strategy is to find out whether you have an elevated risk for aneurysm...and if so, to ask your doctor about getting screened with an MRI or CT scan. Risk increases with age because blood vessels get thinner and degenerate.Until menopause, women have a slightly lower aneurysm risk than men, perhaps because estrogen promotes blood vessel health...but after menopause, women are at higher risk than men.News: A recent study in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery suggested that women who had used birth control pills or hormone therapy (HT) were at decreased risk for aneurysm.This finding is not a reason to start taking the Pill or HT, but it does provides rea*surance that women who use such a medication need not discontinue it if they have or are at risk for an aneurysm, Dr.Schievink noted.

Hypertension. This is a major culprit because high blood pressure damages blood vessel walls.Best: Keep blood pressure under control with a healthy diet, exercise, stress reduction and/or medication if necessary.

Smoking. Smokers have greatly increased odds of developing aneurysms because chemicals in tobacco damage the structure and function of blood vessels and increase blood pressure.So if you smoke, here’s yet one more reason to quit.

Family history. About 20% of people diagnosed with aneurysms also have a close family member with the condition, Dr.Schievink saidand although part of that connection is due to smoking (since if parents smoke, their offspring are more likely to smoke), clearly there is a genetic component to brain aneurysms, too.Self-defense: If you have two first-degree relatives (parent, sibling, child) with a history of aneurysm, definitely get the screening test...if just one family member has had an aneurysm, your doctor can weigh this along with any additional risk factors you may have in determining whether screening is appropriate.

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). About 1% to 2% of people are born with this heart defect, in which the aortic valve has only two flaps rather than three regulating blood flow from the heart.Some people with BAV have no problemsbut many develop narrowing or leakage of the aortic valve as adults, which may be detected when their doctor hears a heart murmur.New finding: Dr.Schievink led a study that showed a tenfold increase in aneurysms among people with BAV, suggesting that both diseases may be caused by an underlying weakness in the arteries.If you or a close relative has BAV, aneurysm screening is warranted.polycystic kidney disease (marked by loose joints, elastic skin and easy bruising), also can affect the health of blood vessel walls.Patients with such disorders need to be screened for brain aneurysms.

Substance abuse. A history of binge drinking or drug abuse (especially cocaine) can negatively affect the structure of blood vessels.If you ever had a problem with alcohol or drugs, be open about this with your doctor when discussing aneurysm screening. Warning Signs and Treatments An aneurysm that ruptures can cause a sudden and extremely severe headache, pain behind the eyes and/or loss of vision or double vision.If you experience any such symptoms, call 911!

Unruptured brain aneurysms usually do not cause symptoms, so most are detected through screening or by chance when a brain scan is done for some unrelated reason.But in some cases, particularly if the unruptured aneurysm presses on nerves, patients may experience loss of balance, speech problems, changes in vision and/or facial numbness or weakness.

Depending on an unruptured aneurysm’s size and whether it appears to be growing, a neurologist may advise simply observing it closely.In other cases, prompt surgery is recommended to halt the flow of blood into the ballooning portion of the artery (for instance, by filling it with a filler material or placing a clip across its "neck"), thus preventing rupture.Blood flow continues through the healthy portion of the artery, Dr.Schievink said.

As with any surgical procedure, aneurysm surgery does carry risks.But given the extreme danger a*sociated with an aneurysm at risk for rupturing, the potential hazards of surgery are far outweighed by the benefits.Source: Wouter I.Schievink, MD, is director of the microvascular neurosurgery program in the department of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.He specializes in neurovascular procedures, including the surgical treatment of aneurysms, and is a world-renowned expert in familial aneurysms and strokes.Blood Pressure "Switch" Found on Human Body...A recent study conducted by the Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago identified a small spot (the "Atlas area") on the body that appears to control blood pressure.In minutes, a single touch lowers blood pressure back to healthy levels.Top number drops 14 points, bottom number drops 8 points.No drug on Earth can match this instant miracle.Who knew it was this simple?It’s almost like a switch that allows doctors to dial down your blood pressure in minutes. Keep reading... A: If you’re eating a well-rounded diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and wh*le grains, you should be getting the vitamins and minerals necessary for your hair follicles to produce healthy hair.Still, there are supplements you can take as added insurance.

First, consider supplementing with B vitamins (particularly folic acid), which provide building blocks needed for lustrous locks.This may be especially helpful if you are under stress, since physical or emotional stress can deplete these key nutrients.For convenience, choose a B-vitamin complex that provides 100% of the daily value for the various B vitamins...or focus specifically on folic acid, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12.

Also take fish oil, which helps cell membranes throughout the bodyincluding in hair folliclesstay strong, preventing damage that could lead to the growth of dull, weak strands.In fact, in addition to improving the vitality of new hair growth, healthful dietary oils help promote sheen and luster of existing hair strands.Dosage: Fish oil that provides 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg of combined EPA/DHA daily.Helpful: Check manufacturers’ Web sites to choose a brand that is screened for heavy metals...and refrigerate your fish oil to keep it fresh and potent.

You may have heard that drinking ginger tea or hawthorn tea promotes circulation, including blood flow to the scalpand there is no harm in giving it a try.However, currently there is no evidence that these teas work any better than scalp ma*sage or brushing with a natural-bristle brush to increase dermal circulation.

Hair is an outward expression of inner healthso see your physician if your hair is becoming dry, dull, fragile or sparse.This could indicate an underlying medical problem, such as a metabolic or hormonal imbalance, that should be addressed.Source: JoAnn Yanez, ND, is a naturopathic physician and medical consultant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a past board member of the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education and the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians.www.DrYanez.com An official at the American Cancer Society said that it’s easy to avoid half of all cancers.Of course, their #1 piece of advice is "stop smoking." We all know that.But I bet you don’t know the #2 cause of cancer.It’s something totally under your controlit’s much easier than quitting cigarettesand it’s the last thing you’d ever expect.I’ll tell you about it in a moment. Keep reading... Hot Flashes menopausal hot flashes.But: Recent research contradicts that notion.According to a study of 1,776 women ages 47 to 59, those who had a higher percentage of body fat were more likely to experience hot flashes and night sweats than those with less body fat.

Bottom line: If you are carrying extra pounds, try losing some weight.Not only will it improve your health, it just might help your hot flashes.Source: Rebecca C.Thurston, PhD, is an a*sistant professor in the departments of psychiatry, epidemiology and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, and leader of a study on weight and menopausal hot flashes.

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