embolization

A brain aneurysm is an abnormal bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery in the brain. They are sometimes called berry aneurysms because they are often the size of a small berry. Most brain aneurysms produce no symptoms until they become large, begin to leak blood, or burst.

If a brain aneurysm presses on nerves in your brain, it can cause signs and symptoms. These can include:

• A droopy eyelid
• Double vision or other changes in vision
• Pain above or behind the eye
• A dilated pupil
• Numbness or weakness on one side of the face or body

Treatment depends on the size and location of the aneurysm, whether it is infected, and whether it has burst. If a brain aneurysm bursts, symptoms can include a sudden, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, loss of consciousness, and signs of a stroke. Any of these symptoms requires immediate medical attention.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in women of childbearing age. Fibroids are made of muscle cells and other tissues that grow in and around the wall of the uterus, or womb. The cause of fibroids is unknown. Risk factors include being African American or being overweight.

Many women with fibroids have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include:

• Heavy or painful periods or bleeding between periods
• Feeling "full" in the lower abdomen
• Urinating often
• Pain during sex
• Lower back pain
• Reproductive problems, such as infertility, multiple miscarriages or early labor

Your health care provider may find fibroids during a gynecological exam or by using imaging tests. Treatment includes drugs that can slow or stop their growth, or surgery. If you have no symptoms, you may not even need treatment. Many women with fibroids can get pregnant naturally. For those who cannot, infertility treatments may help.

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Your vascular system is your body's network of blood vessels. It includes your:

• Arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to your tissues and organs
• Veins, which carry the blood and waste products back to your heart
• Capillaries, which are tiny blood vessels that connect your small arteries to your small veins. The walls of the capillaries are thin and leaky, to allow for an exchange of materials between your tissues and blood.

Vascular diseases are conditions which affect your vascular system. They are common and can be serious. Some types include:

• Aneurysm - a bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery
• Atherosclerosis - a disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood.
• Blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
• Coronary artery disease and carotid artery disease, diseases that involve the narrowing or blockage of an artery. The cause is usually a buildup of plaque.
• Raynaud phenomenon - a disorder that causes the blood vessels to narrow when you are cold or feeling stressed
• Stroke - a serious condition that happens when blood flow to your brain stops.
• Varicose veins - swollen, twisted veins that you can see just under the skin
• Vasculitis - inflammation of the blood vessels

The causes of vascular diseases depend on the specific disease. These causes include:

• Genetics
• Heart diseases such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure
• Infection
• Injury
• Medicines, including hormones

Sometimes the cause is unknown.

The risk factors for vascular diseases can vary, depending on the specific disease. But some of the more common risk factors include:

• Age - your risk of some diseases goes up as you get older
• Conditions that can affect the heart and blood vessels, such as diabetes or high cholesterol
• Family history of vascular or heart diseases
• Infection or injury that damages your veins
• Lack of exercise
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Sitting or standing still for long periods of time
• Smoking

The symptoms for each disease are different.

To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask about your symptoms and medical history. You may have imaging tests and/or blood tests.

Which treatment you get depends on which vascular disease you have and how severe it is. Types of treatments for vascular diseases include:

• Lifestyle changes, such as eating a heart-healthy diet and getting more exercise
• Medicines, such as blood pressure medicines, blood thinners, cholesterol medicines, and clot-dissolving drugs. In some cases, providers use a catheter to send medicine directly to a blood vessel.
• Non-surgical procedures, such as angioplasty, stenting, and vein ablation
• Surgery

There are steps you can take to help prevent vascular diseases:

• Make healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating a heart-healthy diet and getting more exercise
• Don't smoke. If you are already a smoker, talk to your health care provider for help in finding the best way for you to quit.
• Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check
• If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar
• Try not to sit or stand for up long periods of time. If you do need to sit all day, get up and move around every hour or so. If you are traveling on a long trip, you can also wear compression stockings and regularly stretch your legs.

An aneurysm is a bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to other parts of the body. If an aneurysm grows large, it can burst and cause dangerous bleeding or even death.

Most aneurysms occur in the aorta, the main artery that runs from the heart through the chest and abdomen. Aneurysms also can happen in arteries in the brain, heart and other parts of the body. If an aneurysm in the brain bursts, it causes a stroke.

Aneurysms can develop and become large before causing any symptoms. Often doctors can stop aneurysms from bursting if they find and treat them early. They use imaging tests to find aneurysms. Often aneurysms are found by chance during tests done for other reasons. Medicines and surgery are the two main treatments for aneurysms.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are defects in your vascular system. Your vascular system is your body's network of blood vessels. It includes your:

• Arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to your tissues and organs.
• Veins, which carry the blood and waste products back to your heart.
• Capillaries, which are tiny blood vessels that connect your small arteries to your small veins.

An AVM is an abnormal tangle of arteries and veins. They are connected to each other, with no capillaries between them. Without the capillaries, the blood flow from the arteries goes directly into the veins at a faster rate than normal. Because of this, the nearby tissue does not get all the oxygen it would normally get. This lack of oxygen can lead to tissue damage and the death of nerve cells and other cells. The fast rate of blood flow can also increase the blood pressure inside the arteries and veins. This can weaken the arteries and veins. A weakened artery or blood vessel could burst or leak blood.

AVMs are rare. The cause of AVMs is unknown. Most of the time, people are born with them. But sometimes they can appear shortly after birth or later in life.

The symptoms of AVM will depend on where the AVM is located. They can happen anywhere in the body, but they are more common in the brain or spinal cord. Most people with brain or spinal cord AVMs have few, if any, major symptoms. But if a weakened blood vessel bursts, it can spill blood into the brain (called a hemorrhage). Severe hemorrhages can cause a stroke and brain damage.

If an AVM is causing symptoms, they can include:

• Seizures
• Headache
• Pain in the area where the AVM is located
• Vision problems
• Muscle weakness
• Problems with movement and speech
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness

To find out if you have an AVM, your health care provider:

• Will ask about your symptoms and medical history.
• Will do a physical exam. This may include listening for a bruit. A bruit is whooshing sound caused by the rapid blood flow through the arteries and veins of an AVM.
• May order imaging tests, such as a CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, or cerebral angiography. For a cerebral angiography, you are injected with a special dye that helps the blood vessels in your brain show up on x-rays.

Treatments for AVMs will depend on factors such as:

• Where the AVM is located
• Its size
• Your symptoms
• Your overall health
• Your risk of bleeding

The treatment options may include:

• Monitoring for any signs that may mean you have an increased risk of hemorrhage.
• Medicines to help with the symptoms from AVMs.
• Surgery, which may be done if you have a higher-than-usual risk of bleeding. There are a few different types of surgery for AVMs. In some cases, you may have more than one type. Surgery can be risky, especially when it's done on the brain or spinal cord. So you and your provider will need to discuss the risks and benefits of doing the surgery before you make a decision.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Bleeding is the loss of blood. It can be external, or outside the body, like when you get a cut or wound. It can also be internal, or inside the body, like when you have an injury to an internal organ. Some bleeding, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, coughing up blood, or vaginal bleeding, can be a symptom of a disease.

Normally, when you are injured and start bleeding, a blood clot forms to stop the bleeding quickly. Afterwards, the clot dissolves naturally. To be able to make a clot, your blood needs blood proteins called clotting factors and a type of blood cell called platelets. Some people have a problem with clotting, due to another medical condition or an inherited disease. There are two types of problems:

• Your blood may not form clots normally, known as a bleeding disorder. This happens when your body does not make enough platelets or clotting factors, or they don't work the way they should.
• Your blood may make too many clots, or the clots may not dissolve properly

Sometimes bleeding can cause other problems. A bruise is bleeding under the skin. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. Severe bleeding may require first aid or a trip to the emergency room.

A fistula is an abnormal connection between two parts inside of the body. Fistulas may develop between different organs, such as between the esophagus and the windpipe or the bowel and the vagina. They can also develop between two blood vessels, such as between an artery and a vein or between two arteries.

Some people are born with a fistula. Other common causes of fistulas include:

• Complications from surgery
• Injury
• Infection
• Diseases, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis

Treatment depends on the cause of the fistula, where it is, and how bad it is. Some fistulas will close on their own. In some cases, you may need antibiotics and/or surgery.

A stroke happens when there is a loss of blood flow to part of the brain. Your brain cells cannot get the oxygen and nutrients they need from blood, and they start to die within a few minutes. This can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.

If you think that you or someone else is having a stroke, call 911 right away. Immediate treatment may save someone's life and increase the chances for successful rehabilitation and recovery.

There are two types of stroke:

• Ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. This is the most common type; about 80% of strokes are ischemic.
• Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain

Another condition that's similar to a stroke is a transient ischemic attack (TIA). It's sometimes called a "mini-stroke." TIAs happen when the blood supply to the brain is blocked for a short time. The damage to the brain cells isn't permanent, but if you have had a TIA, you are at a much higher risk of having a stroke.

Certain factors can raise your risk of a stroke. The major risk factors include:

• High blood pressure. This is the primary risk factor for a stroke.
• Diabetes.
• Heart diseases.Atrial fibrillation and other heart diseases can cause blood clots that lead to stroke.
• Smoking. When you smoke, you damage your blood vessels and raise your blood pressure.
• A personal or family history of stroke or TIA.
• Age. Your risk of stroke increases as you get older.
• Race and ethnicity. African Americans have a higher risk of stroke.

There are also other factors that are linked to a higher risk of stroke, such as:

• Alcohol and illegal drug use
• Not getting enough physical activity
• High cholesterol
• Unhealthy diet
• Having obesity

The symptoms of stroke often happen quickly. They include:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body)
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding speech
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you think that you or someone else is having a stroke, call 911 right away.

To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will:

• Ask about your symptoms and medical history
• Do a physical exam, including a check of
  • Your mental alertness
  • Your coordination and balance
  • Any numbness or weakness in your face, arms, and legs
  • Any trouble speaking and seeing clearly
• Run some tests, which may include
  • Diagnostic imaging of the brain, such as a CT scan or MRI
  • Heart tests, which can help detect heart problems or blood clots that may have led to a stroke. Possible tests include an electrocardiogram (EKG) and an echocardiography.

Treatments for stroke include medicines, surgery, and rehabilitation. Which treatments you get depend on the type of stroke and the stage of treatment. The different stages are:

• Acute treatment, to try to stop a stroke while it is happening
• Post-stroke rehabilitation, to overcome the disabilities caused by the stroke
• Prevention, to prevent a first stroke or, if you have already had one, prevent another stroke

Acute treatments for ischemic stroke are usually medicines:

• You may get tPA, (tissue plasminogen activator), a medicine to dissolve the blood clot. You can only get this medicine within 4 hours of when your symptoms started. The sooner you can get it, the better your chance of recovery.
• If you cannot get that medicine, you may get medicine that helps stop platelets from clumping together to form blood clots. Or you may get a blood thinner to keep existing clots from getting bigger.
• If you have carotid artery disease, you may also need a procedure to open your blocked carotid artery

Acute treatments for hemorrhagic stroke focus on stopping the bleeding. The first step is to find the cause of bleeding in the brain. The next step is to control it:

• If high blood pressure is the cause of bleeding, you may be given blood pressure medicines.
• If an aneurysm if the cause, you may need aneurysm clipping or coil embolization. These are surgeries to prevent further leaking of blood from the aneurysm. It also can help prevent the aneurysm from bursting again.
• If an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is the cause of a stroke, you may need an AVM repair. An AVM is a tangle of faulty arteries and veins that can rupture within the brain. An AVM repair may be done through
  • Surgery
  • Injecting a substance into the blood vessels of the AVM to block blood flow
  • Radiation to shrink the blood vessels of the AVM

Stroke rehabilitation can help you relearn skills you lost because of the damage. The goal is to help you become as independent as possible and to have the best possible quality of life.

Prevention of another stroke is also important, since having a stroke increases the risk of getting another one. Prevention may include heart-healthy lifestyle changes and medicines.

If you have already had a stroke or are at risk of having a stroke, you can make some heart-healthy lifestyle changes to try to prevent a future stroke:

• Eating a heart-healthy diet
• Aiming for a healthy weight
• Managing stress
• Getting regular physical activity
• Quitting smoking
• Managing your blood pressure and cholesterol levels

If these changes aren't enough, you may need medicine to control your risk factors.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Testicles, or testes, make male hormones and sperm. They are two egg-shaped organs inside the scrotum, the loose sac of skin behind the penis. It's easy to injure your testicles because they are not protected by bones or muscles. Men and boys should wear athletic supporters when they play sports.

You should examine your testicles monthly and seek medical attention for lumps, redness, pain or other changes. Testicles can get inflamed or infected. They can also develop cancer. Testicular cancer is rare and highly treatable. It usually happens between the ages of 15 and 40.

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that you can see just under the skin. They usually occur in the legs, but also can form in other parts of the body. Hemorrhoids are a type of varicose vein.

Your veins have one-way valves that help keep blood flowing toward your heart. If the valves are weak or damaged, blood can back up and pool in your veins. This causes the veins to swell, which can lead to varicose veins.

Varicose veins are very common. You are more at risk if you are older, are female, have obesity, don't exercise, or have a family history of varicose veins. They can also be more common in pregnancy.

Doctors often diagnose varicose veins from a physical exam. Sometimes you may need additional tests.

Exercising, losing weight, elevating your legs when resting, and not crossing them when sitting can help keep varicose veins from getting worse. Wearing loose clothing and avoiding long periods of standing can also help. If varicose veins are painful or you don't like the way they look, your doctor may recommend procedures to remove them.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute