Why Do Aneurysms Get Misdiagnosed?

For all health conditions, accurate diagnosis is the first step for recovery. During this stage, doctors can pinpoint what is wrong and determine the most appropriate treatment. If they fail to get a proper diagnosis, the patient might not receive the treatment they need to get better. Sometimes, a misdiagnosis could have grave consequences, especially for urgent health problems like an aneurysm.

Aneurysms happen when an artery in the brain weakens, causing it to bulge and potentially rupture. It could cause internal bleeding in the brain and lead to a stroke. An aneurysm is a severe health problem that requires urgent care. Unfortunately, doctors might misdiagnose it due to its symptoms.

A patient suffering from an aneurysm could exhibit various symptoms, including headaches, unusual pain behind the eyes, vomiting, nausea, vision issues, light sensitivity, paralysis, stiffness and coordination problems. These warning signs usually appear with other mild illnesses, resulting in misdiagnosis or delayed treatment.

Additionally, doctors could only detect aneurysms using the correct scans. They might only consider the possibility of an aneurysm after checking through a CT, MRI or CTA scan. Sadly, doctors might fail to request these scans, leaving the aneurysm undetected.

Aneurysms Are Treatable

Doctors have multiple ways to treat an aneurysm based on its severity. They could resort to open surgery or endovascular therapy. If the case is mild, they could observe, take measures to reduce risks, and wait for it to resolve. Still, doctors might only do so if they have a proper diagnosis.

Misdiagnosis could happen for various reasons. However, some health care providers could make negligent decisions, causing their patient’s condition to decline. If this happens, the patient could take legal action to hold the provider accountable for their medical malpractice.