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Aneurysms (Brain & Aortic)

A weak, bulging spot in an artery — most often in the brain or in the aorta, the body’s main artery, and sometimes in the legs. Many never cause trouble, but a rupture is an emergency, so screening, follow-up scans and lowering blood pressure matter.

Possible rupture — call 911 right away. A burst aneurysm causes severe bleeding inside the body and is a medical emergency; quick treatment may save a life (MedlinePlus, NHLBI).

Some people have a smaller “warning” headache from a small leak days or weeks before a major rupture, so any sudden, severe headache needs emergency care (NINDS). No chiropractic, herbal or other complementary approach can treat a ruptured aneurysm.

What is an aneurysm?

An aneurysm is a bulge or “ballooning” in the wall of an artery, at a spot where the wall is weak. Most form in the aorta, the main artery running from the heart through the chest and belly, but they also happen in arteries of the brain, the heart and other parts of the body (MedlinePlus). Many aneurysms grow slowly and quietly for years. The danger is that a large or growing one can burst (rupture) or tear, which is life-threatening (NHLBI, NINDS). Often doctors can stop an aneurysm from bursting if they find and treat it early (MedlinePlus).

Brain aneurysms

A brain aneurysm can press on nearby nerves and brain tissue, or burst and bleed into or around the brain — which can cause a stroke, brain damage, coma or death. Some, especially very small ones, never bleed, and they are often found by chance on a scan done for another reason (NINDS). An estimated 1 in 50 people in the U.S. has an unruptured brain aneurysm, and about 30,000 people a year have one rupture (Brain Aneurysm Foundation). Most cause no symptoms until they become very large or rupture. A large one may cause pain above and behind one eye, numbness, weakness, a widened pupil, or vision changes or double vision (NINDS), or a droopy eyelid (MedlinePlus); some people also notice dizziness, trouble concentrating or speaking, or short-term memory problems (NHS).

Aortic aneurysms

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) — in the part of the aorta that runs through the belly. It is the most common type (NHLBI). It often causes no symptoms and is usually found during screening or tests for something else; a growing one may cause belly or back pain or a pulsing feeling in the belly (NHS, NHLBI).
  • Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) — in the chest (NHLBI). Depending on where it is and how big it has grown, it may cause pain in the chest, back, neck, jaw or shoulder, trouble or pain swallowing, shortness of breath, or swelling of the face, neck or arms (NHLBI).

Aortic aneurysms or dissections caused 9,904 deaths in the U.S. in 2019, about 59% of them in men (CDC).

Peripheral aneurysms: legs and elsewhere

Aneurysms can also form in the arteries of the legs. The most common place is the popliteal artery, in the space behind the knee (review, Current Rheumatology Reviews, 2017). Left untreated, a popliteal aneurysm may fill with clot that blocks the artery, may rupture, or may shed clots that travel down the leg, causing serious harm (Cochrane review, 2019). Someone who has had an aortic aneurysm may be advised to have screening for aneurysms in other places, such as the pelvis or legs (NHLBI), and aneurysms in other blood vessels are themselves a risk factor for aortic aneurysm (NHLBI).

Who is at risk?

  • All kinds: smoking and high blood pressure are major risk factors, as is using stimulant drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines, which raise blood pressure (NINDS, NHLBI). A family history raises the risk too (NINDS, NHLBI).
  • Brain aneurysms are more common in women (the risk seems to rise after menopause) and in adults aged 30 to 60. Connective-tissue disorders, polycystic kidney disease, diabetes and high cholesterol also add risk (NINDS), as does excessive alcohol use (Brain Aneurysm Foundation).
  • Aortic aneurysms are more common in men and with age; abdominal ones are most common after 65. A current smoker’s abdominal aneurysm may grow faster and be more likely to burst, and women are more likely to have one rupture at a smaller size. Other risk factors include atherosclerosis and other heart and artery disease, unhealthy cholesterol, COPD, kidney disease and obesity (NHLBI). Smoking accounts for about 75% of abdominal aortic aneurysms (CDC).
  • Diabetes and the aorta: unlike most heart and artery problems, diabetes is linked with a lower risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (USPSTF). That is no reason to let diabetes go unmanaged; it still raises the risk of atherosclerosis and of some brain aneurysms (NINDS).
  • Thoracic aortic aneurysms are linked to high blood pressure, their leading risk factor, and to genetic conditions such as Marfan, Ehlers–Danlos and Loeys–Dietz syndromes, Turner syndrome and a bicuspid aortic valve (NHLBI).

See our guides to blood pressure and cholesterol.

Screening

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends a one-time ultrasound for men aged 65 to 75 who have ever smoked (generally meaning 100 or more cigarettes in a lifetime). For men that age who never smoked, screening is offered selectively. It recommends against routine screening for women who have never smoked and have no family history, and says the evidence is unclear for women 65 to 75 who have smoked or have a family history (USPSTF, 2019). The test is a painless ultrasound that uses no radiation (USPSTF) and takes about 10 to 15 minutes (NHS).
  • Medicare Part B covers one AAA screening ultrasound per lifetime, with a referral, if you have a family history of AAA or are a man aged 65 to 75 who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes. You pay nothing if the provider accepts assignment (Medicare.gov).
  • Thoracic aortic aneurysm: screening may be offered to people with Marfan, Loeys–Dietz, Ehlers–Danlos or Turner syndrome, and to parents, children and siblings of people with a thoracic aortic aneurysm (NHLBI).
  • Brain aneurysms: there is no general screening program. Families in which several close relatives (parents, children or siblings) have had brain aneurysms are at higher risk, and regular brain-artery imaging may be recommended for their first-degree relatives; MRI or MRA is preferred for screening (Brain Aneurysm Foundation).

Talk with your doctor if you are a man aged 65 to 75 who has ever smoked, if a parent, brother, sister or child has had an aortic or brain aneurysm, or if you have a condition such as Marfan syndrome or polycystic kidney disease. A person with a parent, brother, sister or child who has had an abdominal aortic aneurysm has about a 1 in 5 chance of developing one (NHLBI).

Side by side

Six approaches compared

For every condition we look at the same six approaches: what each involves, what it typically costs, and what a patient can realistically expect.

ApproachWhat it involves Estimated costWhat to expect
Conventional medicine (AMA) Screening, then either watchful waiting with regular scans and risk-factor control (blood pressure, quitting smoking), or repair: surgical clipping, coiling or a flow-diverting stent for brain aneurysms; open graft surgery or a stent graft (EVAR) for aortic aneurysms; bypass or a stent graft for aneurysms behind the knee. A rupture needs emergency repair. AAA screening ultrasound: $0 under Medicare Part B for those who qualify (once per lifetime). Repair: published U.S. hospital costs of about $24,000–$26,000 for unruptured brain aneurysms (2008 data) and about $37,000–$43,000 for AAA repair (VA trial); what you pay depends on your insurance. Many small aneurysms are simply watched. Repair before rupture often goes well; a rupture is life-threatening. Coiled brain aneurysms and stent-graft repairs need follow-up scans, sometimes for life.
Chiropractic Does not treat or prevent aneurysms. If you have a known aneurysm or a connective-tissue disorder and want care for back or neck pain, get medical clearance first. About $90–$200 for a first visit and $55–$100 for follow-up visits, paying cash. Neck manipulation has been linked to rare tears in neck arteries that can cause a stroke. Whether it causes them is debated, but you should be told about this risk beforehand.
Acupuncture No role in treating or preventing aneurysms. One small, non-randomized study tried it after a ruptured brain aneurysm had already been repaired. Not a treatment for aneurysms, so no cost is listed. Too little research to recommend it. Rare case reports describe needles injuring the artery behind the knee; tell the acupuncturist about any aneurysm or blood thinner.
Herbal medicine No herb or supplement, copper included, has been shown to shrink, prevent or repair an aneurysm in people, and there is no evidence homeopathy treats aneurysms. The main concern is safety. Cost estimate being researched. Licorice and stimulant-type products can raise blood pressure; ginkgo may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Massage therapy Gentle relaxation massage only, with your doctor’s OK. Not a treatment for aneurysms. At one national chain, about $125–$160 for a 60-minute session without a membership, or about $70–$90 a month for a membership with one session. We found little research on massage for people with aneurysms. Serious harms from massage are rare, but some reported cases involved vigorous, deep-tissue work.
MBHA Wellness Coach Blood pressure control, quitting smoking, avoiding stimulants, limiting heavy lifting if advised, keeping up with follow-up scans, and emotional support. Cost estimate being researched. Quitlines (1-800-QUIT-NOW) are free. Supports — never replaces — your doctors. Controlling blood pressure and quitting smoking are the main things you can do to lower the risk of growth and rupture.

Approach 1 of 6

Conventional medicine (AMA)

Care depends on where the aneurysm is, how big it is, how fast it is growing and your overall health. Not every aneurysm needs a procedure; the choice is between watching it carefully and repairing it (NINDS, NHLBI). A ruptured aneurysm is different: it usually needs emergency surgery or an endovascular (inside-the-artery) repair (NHS, NHLBI).

1. Finding and measuring the aneurysm

Brain aneurysms are found with CT or CT angiography, MRI or MR angiography, or cerebral angiography (a catheter test with contrast dye). After a suspected bleed, a spinal tap may be used to look for blood (NINDS). Aortic aneurysms are usually found and tracked with ultrasound, with CT or MRI for more detail and an echocardiogram for the part of the aorta near the heart (NHLBI). An abdominal aortic aneurysm is diagnosed when the aorta measures 3 cm or more across (NHLBI).

2. Unruptured: weighing the risks of treating against waiting

For an aneurysm that hasn’t burst, you and your care team weigh the chance it will rupture against the risks of the procedure itself, which can cause serious problems of its own (NINDS). Things the team considers include:

3. Watchful waiting

  • Brain: small unruptured aneurysms that aren’t causing symptoms often don’t need treatment because they often don’t grow and have a low risk of bursting; you may just need regular scans to check for growth (NHS, Brain Aneurysm Foundation). People with unruptured aneurysms should treat high blood pressure aggressively and make a plan to quit smoking or drugs such as cocaine (NINDS).
  • Abdominal aorta: in England’s screening program, a small aneurysm (3–4.4 cm) is re-scanned every year and a medium one (4.5–5.4 cm) every 3 months, while a large one (5.5 cm or more) is referred to a vascular surgeon (NHS). The Society for Vascular Surgery recommends a scan every 12 months for an AAA 4.0–4.9 cm across (SVS guideline, 2018). Ask your own team which schedule applies to you.
  • Medicines: doctors may prescribe blood pressure medicines (such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors or ARBs), statins for cholesterol, and sometimes aspirin, which can raise bleeding risk (NHLBI). We don’t list doses; your care team will tailor any medicine to you.

4. Repairing a brain aneurysm

  • Surgical clipping: open brain surgery in which a tiny metal clip is placed across the neck of the aneurysm to cut off its blood supply. Aneurysms that are completely clipped generally don’t come back (NINDS). It is used when an aneurysm can’t be coiled or flow-diverted because of its location or other features (Brain Aneurysm Foundation).
  • Endovascular coiling: a thin tube (catheter) is threaded from an artery in the groin or arm up to the brain, and tiny platinum coils are released into the aneurysm to block blood flow. It is less invasive than clipping, but a coiled aneurysm can sometimes come back and need another procedure (NINDS, Brain Aneurysm Foundation). Endovascular treatment is now the most common approach (Brain Aneurysm Foundation).
  • Stents and flow diversion: a stent placed in the artery steers blood away from the aneurysm. It is used for very large aneurysms and those that can’t be clipped or coiled (NINDS).
  • Clipping or coiling after a rupture — the ISAT trial: in a trial of 2,143 people whose ruptured aneurysms could be treated either way, 23.7% of those assigned coiling were dependent on others or had died at one year, compared with 30.6% of those assigned clipping; rebleeding was uncommon with both but somewhat more frequent after coiling (ISAT, Lancet, 2002). Long-term follow-up of the UK patients found coiled patients were still more likely to be alive and independent at 10 years, while rebleeding stayed more likely after coiling but the risk was small (ISAT follow-up, Lancet, 2015). These results apply to aneurysms suited to both methods; your team will advise on yours.
  • Follow-up scans after treatment: imaging after aneurysm treatment is standard care to check for recurrence or other problems, with the schedule tailored to the treatment and the person (review, Neuroimaging Clinics, 2021). In one older single-center series of 501 coiled aneurysms, about a third of those followed up showed some recurrence and about a fifth a major one, and the authors concluded that long-term monitoring after coiling is essential (study, Stroke, 2003).
  • After a rupture, people need intensive care, which can include medicines to lower the risk of stroke from artery spasm and a shunt to drain fluid from the brain, followed by physical, speech and occupational therapy (NINDS). You may not be allowed to drive with a brain aneurysm; ask your doctor (NHS).

5. Repairing an aortic aneurysm

  • When: surgery may be advised depending on the cause, size and growth rate (NHLBI). For an abdominal aneurysm, surgery is usually considered when it is 5.5 cm or larger, growing quickly or painful (NHS). U.S. practice for men is similar: repair at 5.5 cm or more, or above 4.0 cm if it has grown 1 cm in a year; Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines advise repair at 5.0–5.4 cm in women, whose aneurysms may rupture at smaller sizes (USPSTF). In the chest, what counts as enlarged depends on age, sex and which part of the aorta is measured (NHLBI).
  • Open repair: through a large cut in the belly or chest, the weak section is replaced with a fabric tube (graft). It is the most common type of aortic surgery, and recovery takes about a month (NHLBI).
  • Endovascular repair (EVAR): a stent graft is guided from a small cut in the groin and expands inside the aorta to seal off the aneurysm. It means a smaller cut and a quicker recovery, and it is used for abdominal aneurysms more often than for chest aneurysms (NHLBI). EVAR has become the most common approach for planned abdominal repairs in the U.S. (USPSTF), and the Society for Vascular Surgery recommends it as the preferred treatment for ruptured aneurysms (SVS guideline, 2018).
  • Risks: both kinds of repair can have serious complications, including bleeding, clots, kidney damage, infection, heart problems, stroke and spinal cord injury. After EVAR, a leak around the graft (endoleak) must be treated if it threatens rupture (NHLBI).
  • Choosing a hospital: the Society for Vascular Surgery suggests planned EVAR be done at hospitals that perform at least 10 a year with low death rates (SVS guideline) — a fair question to ask your surgeon.
  • After a repair, you may need regular imaging to check for leaks and monitor the repair (NHLBI); ultrasound is suggested for routine checks after EVAR (SVS guideline). You may be told to take antibiotics before dental work to protect the graft (NHLBI, SVS guideline). Pain, drainage or fever can be signs of a graft infection (NHLBI).

6. Aneurysms behind the knee

A popliteal aneurysm can be repaired with open surgery — a bypass that routes blood around it — or with a stent graft placed through the skin or a small cut in the groin. Surgery is usually preferred in an emergency. For aneurysms causing no symptoms, a Cochrane review found only one small trial: results after four years were similar, and the stent graft meant a shorter operation and hospital stay (Cochrane review, 2019).

What it costs

  • AAA screening: Medicare Part B covers one screening ultrasound per lifetime, with a referral, for men 65–75 who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes and for anyone with a family history of AAA; $0 if the provider accepts assignment (Medicare.gov).
  • Brain aneurysm repair: in a national study of 2008 hospital data, the median cost to the hospital of an uncomplicated stay was about $23,600 for clipping and $25,700 for coiling of an unruptured aneurysm, and much higher when there were complications (study, AJNR, 2012). These are older hospital costs, not bills; today’s prices are likely higher.
  • AAA repair: in the VA’s OVER trial of 881 veterans, the average cost of the hospital admission was about $37,100 for EVAR and $43,000 for open repair. The stent graft itself cost far more, but EVAR patients went home sooner (about 5 vs. 10.5 days) (trial, Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2012).
  • What you personally pay for a repair depends on your insurance: MBHA cost estimate being researched.

What to expect

Once an abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures, the risk of death is as high as 81% (USPSTF). Ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about half of cases, and about two-thirds of survivors have some lasting effects (Brain Aneurysm Foundation). Finding and treating aneurysms early can often stop them from bursting (MedlinePlus). That is why screening, follow-up scans and controlling blood pressure matter so much.

Find a medical doctor in our directory

Approach 2 of 6

Chiropractic

Chiropractic care does not treat, shrink or prevent aneurysms. Some people with an aneurysm still look for help with back or neck pain, so the important question is safety.

Neck manipulation and artery tears

  • The NIH says manipulation of the neck has been linked to small tears in the walls of the arteries in the neck (cervical artery dissection). These tears are rare but can lead to a stroke. Experts disagree about whether manipulation actually causes them, but patients should be told about this possible risk, and the chance of a serious side effect may be greater in people with underlying health problems (NCCIH).
  • An American Heart Association / American Stroke Association statement found that most population studies show a link between neck manipulation and a type of stroke from a torn vertebral artery in younger patients. The evidence is not enough to show that manipulation causes the tears, but the statement says patients should be told about the link before having their neck manipulated (AHA/ASA statement, Stroke, 2014).
  • The same statement says practitioners should strongly consider that the symptoms bringing a patient in may come from an artery tear that is already there (AHA/ASA statement). A sudden, severe headache is an emergency — call 911, don’t book an adjustment.

If you have a known aneurysm

We found no research on chiropractic care for people with brain or aortic aneurysms. As a precaution, MBHA suggests you get clearance from your neurosurgeon, vascular surgeon or primary doctor before any spinal manipulation — especially of the neck — and particularly if you have a connective-tissue disorder, which weakens artery walls (NINDS). Tell the chiropractor about your aneurysm, your blood pressure and every medicine you take (NCCIH), and ask whether gentler, non-thrust techniques are an option.

What it costs

Find a chiropractor in our directory

Approach 3 of 6

Acupuncture

Acupuncture does not treat, shrink or prevent aneurysms, and we found little research on it for people who have one.

What the research says

One small study looked back at 20 people who had acupuncture for two weeks after a ruptured brain aneurysm had been repaired, and compared them with similar patients treated without it. Fewer of the acupuncture group developed artery spasm or delayed stroke-like problems, and the authors called for a randomized trial to test it properly (case-control study, J Altern Complement Med, 2013). A study of this kind can’t show that acupuncture caused the difference, and it says nothing about unruptured aneurysms.

Staying safe

  • Rare case reports describe acupuncture needles injuring the artery behind the knee and causing a false aneurysm that needed surgery — in one case after it had ruptured (case report, 1996), in another in a man who also had an abdominal aortic aneurysm (case report, 2025).
  • Needles must be sterile and single-use; complications have come from nonsterile needles and improper technique (NCCIH).
  • As a precaution, MBHA suggests telling the acupuncturist about any known aneurysm, its location, and any aspirin or blood thinner you take, and avoiding needling over a known aneurysm.

Find an acupuncturist in our directory

Approach 4 of 6

Herbal medicine

No herb or supplement has been shown to shrink, prevent or repair an aneurysm. Because high blood pressure is a leading risk for both growth and rupture (NINDS, NHLBI), and because some people take blood thinners or have procedures ahead of them, the real issue with herbs here is safety. For copper and homeopathy, see “Copper, homeopathy and other claims” below.

Supplements that can raise blood pressure

  • Licorice root: contains glycyrrhizin, which can cause serious side effects, especially in large amounts or with long-term use. Even small amounts have been linked to severe problems in people with high blood pressure or a salty diet, among others (NCCIH).
  • Bitter orange (synephrine): a stimulant found in some weight-loss and “energy” products. Some studies show it raises blood pressure and heart rate (others don’t), and heart rhythm problems, heart attacks and strokes have been reported with products that contain it, mostly multi-ingredient ones. It became popular after the FDA banned ephedra alkaloids from supplements in 2004 (NCCIH).
  • Green tea extract supplements may raise blood pressure, and large amounts of green tea can weaken the blood pressure medicine nadolol (NCCIH).

Supplements that can affect bleeding

  • Ginkgo: taking it with the blood thinner warfarin is linked to a higher risk of major bleeding (NCCIH, NCCIH).
  • Cat’s claw may slow blood clotting and raise bleeding risk during surgery, and may interact with blood thinners and blood pressure medicines; Asian ginseng has had mixed results in studies with warfarin and uncertain interactions with blood pressure drugs (NCCIH).

Before you take any supplement, show the bottle to your doctor or pharmacist — especially if you have an aneurysm, take blood pressure medicine, aspirin or a blood thinner, or have a scan or procedure coming up (NCCIH, NCCIH). We don’t list doses here.

Approach 5 of 6

Massage therapy

Massage is not a treatment for aneurysms, and we found little research on massage for people who have one. Some people find gentle massage relaxing, and managing stress is part of NIH advice for living with an aortic aneurysm (NHLBI).

Safety

The risk of harm from massage appears to be low, but rare serious problems — such as a blood clot, nerve injury or broken bone — have been reported, some with vigorous or deep-tissue massage or in people at higher risk of injury (NCCIH). As a precaution, MBHA suggests:

  • Ask your doctor before any massage if you have a known aneurysm.
  • Choose gentle, relaxation-style work rather than deep-tissue massage.
  • With an abdominal aortic aneurysm, ask the therapist to avoid pressure on your belly; with an aneurysm behind the knee, ask them to avoid that area.
  • After a repair, wait until your surgeon says the incision has healed.

What it costs

  • At one national chain, a 60-minute massage without a membership was listed at about $125–$160 at the locations checked, and memberships run about $70–$90 a month for one session a month (The Pricer).

Find a massage therapist in our directory

Approach 6 of 6

MBHA Wellness Coach

An MBHA Wellness Coach can help you build the daily habits that lower the chance an aneurysm grows or ruptures — alongside, never instead of, your doctors.

Blood pressure

High blood pressure damages and weakens arteries, and people with unruptured brain aneurysms are advised to treat it aggressively (NINDS). With an aortic aneurysm, keep taking your prescribed medicines and avoid situations that push your blood pressure up (NHLBI). Everyday steps that help include:

A coach can help you track your readings, take medicines on schedule and bring questions to your next appointment. See our blood pressure guide.

Quitting smoking

Smoking is linked to both the formation and rupture of brain aneurysms (NINDS). For an aortic aneurysm, quitting is the most important part of treatment to slow its growth, and the risk of rupture drops after smoking stops (NHLBI). Free help is available: call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for confidential coaching. Using counseling and medicine together gives you the best chance of quitting for good (CDC). The National Cancer Institute’s quitline is 1-877-448-7848 (NHLBI).

Stimulants and alcohol

Lifting and straining

People with aortic aneurysms are advised to avoid lifting heavy weights or objects, and other situations that might raise blood pressure (NHLBI). Ask your doctor what limits apply to you, and a coach can help you adapt exercise, chores and work around them.

Keeping up with follow-up scans

Watchful waiting only works if the scans happen. How often you need one depends on your risks and the size of the aneurysm, and people who have had a repair may need regular monitoring too (NHLBI). A coach can help you keep a calendar, arrange rides and write down questions. Close relatives may want to ask their own doctors about screening (NHLBI, Brain Aneurysm Foundation).

Emotional support

Finding out you have an aneurysm can be scary and worrying, and talking with other people who have one can help (NHS). Long-term stress, anxiety or depression can also contribute to high blood pressure (CDC). The Brain Aneurysm Foundation runs in-person and virtual support groups for patients and families (Brain Aneurysm Foundation). Make sure the people close to you know the emergency warning signs above and to call 911.

Another approach

Copper, homeopathy and other claims

You may come across claims that aneurysms come from a missing nutrient, or that a natural remedy can dissolve one. Here is what we found.

Copper

  • Animal research: in animals, a lack of copper lowers the activity of enzymes called lysyl oxidases (study in rats, 2016) and blocks the cross-links that hold the elastic fibers of the aorta together. Chickens on copper-deficient diets developed broken elastic fibers and tears in the aorta (study in chickens, 1977), turkey poults developed aortic ruptures (study in turkeys, 1977), and young pigs developed defective connective tissue and heart and artery damage (study in pigs, 1986). Researchers have used a low-copper diet from before birth, plus an infusion that adds stress to blood vessels, to create brain aneurysms in rats for study (study in rats, 2016).
  • In people: a small New Zealand pilot study found lower copper levels in aneurysm tissue from the chest aorta than in normal aortic tissue, in a region where copper is scarce in the soil. The authors said more studies are needed to show cause and effect (pilot study, 2022).
  • Bottom line: we found no studies showing that copper supplements prevent or treat aneurysms in people. MBHA does not advise taking copper for an aneurysm; ask your doctor before taking any mineral supplement.

Homeopathy

A PubMed search found no studies of homeopathy for aneurysms. NCCIH says there’s little evidence that homeopathy works for any specific condition, that some products labeled homeopathic contain enough active ingredient to cause side effects or drug interactions, and that it should never replace proven care or delay seeing a provider (NCCIH). An aneurysm needs a vascular surgeon or neurosurgical team.

Questions to ask before trying any remedy

  • Could it raise my blood pressure or affect bleeding?
  • Will it interact with my blood pressure medicine, aspirin or blood thinner?
  • Does my surgeon know I am taking it, especially before a scan or procedure?

In their own words

Wellness and lifestyle testimonials

Please read first. These are personal experiences, not medical advice. MBHA makes no medical claims. Never stop or change medicines after aneurysm treatment without your surgeon. A sudden severe headache, or sudden severe chest, back or belly pain, means call 911.

I was lucky enough to find two aneurysms in my brain before they ruptured. After a lot of research and four opinions, I chose surgery (clipping). Recovery at home usually takes two to three months. While I recovered, I slept on a magnetic sleep system under a far-infrared quilt, wore magnetic insoles as often as I could, and used a magnetic back support and necklace, with a magnetic device in my pillow. My doctor released me to return to work in 41 days.

— Name withheld

Shared with first names only. Lightly edited for length and spelling.

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Sources

This page is for education only and is not medical advice. Costs are typical U.S. ranges and estimates; yours will depend on your provider, location and insurance. Talk with your doctor before starting, stopping or combining any treatment. In an emergency, call 911. See our disclaimer.

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The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. We strongly recommend that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition. MBHA provides administrative support, education and navigation — not medical, legal or tax advice — and cannot guarantee claim, billing or fundraising outcomes. MBHA is not an emergency service: in an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.