Your aorta is the biggest of the arteries within your body. It transports oxygen-filled blood to your body. An aortic aneurysm occurs when a section of this key artery is weakened and protrudes outward like a balloon.
It is of two major types:
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: It happens at the lower end of the aorta. This is around your abdomen.
- Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm: It occurs at the upper part of the aorta. This is close to your chest.
Should the aneurysm progressively increase in size, it may break apart. In that case, a rupture will be fatal within minutes. The most important thing here is early detection. However, the twist is that an aortic aneurysm does not often cause symptoms until it grows or ruptures.
Nevertheless, there are warning symptoms that you cannot overlook. Shall we go through them?
Table of Contents
Relentless, severe pain in your stomach or back
It is a classic symptom of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. In case you feel:
- Deep pain in your stomach, gnawing or dull.
- A nagging pain in your lower back that doesn’t appear to have any relation to motion or trauma.
The aneurysm may cause pain to be transferred to your sides, your lower back, or even down into your legs if it is squeezed against surrounding structures.
Contrary to muscle pain, the specific discomfort does not dissipate with rest and stretching. It is consistent and inward, as though there is something wrong on the inside.
A throbbing feeling in your abdomen
Do you experience an uncomfortable pulsing in your stomach when you lie down? A pulsating mass detectable by the physical eye or palpable in the abdominal region is a typical sign of a more gigantic abdominal aneurysm.
You may feel the throbbing within your stomach when you lie down. It may seem like a heartbeat point in your belly. If you sense this, do not disregard it. It can possibly be a warning to your body.
Pain in the chest or upper back
This may be an indication of a thoracic aortic aneurysm, especially when the pain:
- Appears unexpectedly
- Is sharp, tearing, or searing
- Spreads to the back, jaw, neck, or shoulder.
Although this soreness may resemble a heart attack, in some cases, the pain is more on the chest or upper back; a tearing feeling deep, as though inside. Sudden chest or back pain without an apparent cause requires seeking emergency care. Luckily, there are excellent medical interventions available for aortic aneurysm Baltimore, MD, including both surgical and non-surgical treatments.
Difficult or hoarse swallowing
There are some important nerves and structures surrounding your aorta. When a thoracic aortic aneurysm swells, it may crowd your vocal cords, your throat, or your windpipe. The result?
- A husky, hawky tone of voice
- Cough with no discernible cause
- Trouble in swallowing, feeling of food being stuck in the throat.
If these symptoms happen without showing any sign of infection or a throat issue and persist, this can be a warning signal.
Coughing or wheezing issues
This is one more hidden symptom pinned quite often on allergies, asthma, and even stress. Nevertheless, when an aneurysm of the chest starts pressing on your lungs or air passages, you might not breathe easily, especially when you lie down.
You may as well develop a dry cough that doesn’t clear even without the cold or flu. In case such respiratory alterations are accompanied by uneasiness or fatigue in the chest, you should visit the doctor.
Sudden lowering of the blood pressure (emergency sign)
In a situation where the aneurysm of the aorta begins to leak or rupture, your blood pressure can reduce almost instantly. This phenomenon is known as hypotension. It can lead to:
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- A sense of an inevitable calamity
- Clammy, cold skin
- Unconsciousness.
This is a medical emergency. If you or someone else gets these symptoms, particularly when accompanied by severe pain, call 911.
Medical fatigue or weakness
This one is less obvious, but it may manifest itself in a continual fatigue that you just cannot get rid of. When there is a silent struggle going on within your body that involves a growing aneurysm, your body may allocate resources to inflammation and repair.
You are also likely to feel:
- General feeling of weakness
- Loss of stamina or energy
- Inability to recuperate after a small physical effort.
These symptoms are nonspecific. However, the National Vascular Associates suggest seeking attention, especially if combined with initial signs such as pain or pulsation.
Summing up
Most people will barely notice a growing aortic aneurysm. This is the reason why one should be attentive to slight manifestations and the feeling of discomfort without any obvious relation. Luckily, there are medical measures that help in diagnosing and treating aortic aneurysms.
But it must begin with you. You need to trust your gut feeling, educate yourself about the symptoms, and have check-ups when something does not seem right.
