Kim Kardashian has opened up about being diagnosed with a brain aneurysm—swelling in a blood vessel in your brain—in the new season of The Kardashians, which premiered yesterday.
A teaser for an upcoming episode shows Kim undergoing a brain scan and she can be heard saying, “There's like a little aneurysm” and “They're, like, just stress.”
She then seems to imply that stress could be the cause of the aneurysm. While there is no firm evidence to support that stress can cause a brain aneurysm, stress can have a huge physical impact on the body in a multitude of ways.
Kim's older sister, Kourtney Kardashian Barker, is also in the clip reacting to the news by saying, “Woah.”
It is not explained in the clip if Kim is experiencing symptoms or not; the majority do not cause any obvious signs and are benign, according to the NHS.
While the term ‘brain aneurysm’ might sound worrying aneurysms are thought to be relatively common with around one in 50 people (as per the Brain Aneurysm Foundation) having one—although many aren't aware that they have one.
If the aneurysm gets larger, however, it could cause symptoms and there is a risk it could prove fatal if it ruptures. The main sign that an aneurysm has ruptured is a “thunderclap headache” that comes on very suddenly.
In addition to this, the NHS says signs of a larger aneurysm include:
- Eye pain
- Vision changes
- Feeling dizzy or off-balance
- Numbness or weakness impacting one side of the face
- Struggling to concentrate
- Difficulty talking
- Short-term memory issues
Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to Kim's team for comment.
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your GP or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before taking a new medication or supplement.
