Neil Young established his reputation by recording timeless masterpieces such as Old Man, Harvest Moon, and Heart of Gold. Despite his accomplishments, the celebrity has had more medical problems than most, including one that nearly lost his life. What exactly are they?
The singer suffered from various medical conditions as a child, including epilepsy, polio, and type 1 diabetes. By 1951, he had deteriorated to the point where he could barely move. He also had to manage his diabetes, knowing when to give himself insulin and keeping track of his blood sugar levels.
In addition, the star reported suffering an epileptic seizure in 1967 while attending a radio festival. “I was having a good time, and I’m not sure if I had forgotten to eat or what.”
“After feeling nauseated, I began to feel funny and echoic, fell, and I have no idea what happened after that.” He stated that he had to deal with epileptic seizures when performing and always “left the stage” if he noticed one episode approaching.
Nothing was more life-threatening than the brain aneurysm he suffered at 54, which necessitated immediate surgery despite his childhood diseases.
The actor recalls noticing what felt like a piece of broken glass in his eye in his memoir.
“The good news is, you’re here; you’re looking good,” the neurologist informs the actor. “So I went to my doctor, had an MRI, and then went back the next morning. ‘The bad news is that you have an aneurysm in your brain.’”
According to the NHS, a brain aneurysm is a blood vessel bulge caused by a weak point in the blood vessel wall. The pressure exerted by the blood flowing through the weakness of this blood channel causes a small area to grow outwards.
Doctors kept telling Young, “It’s pretty bad; we’ll have to get rid of it immediately.”
Young and his colleagues assumed the problem had been fixed after treatment at a New York institution, and he promptly resumed his regular activities.
However, two days after his surgery, he had a horrific incident. “I made it half a block before the thing broke on the sidewalk, and let’s just say there was a complication. My shoe was stained with blood. The surgeons had gained access to his brain via my femoral artery. The paramedics had to revive me since I was unconscious.”
The surgical procedure involved inserting a catheter through the artery and microscopic platinum coils into the aneurysm. These coils then block blood from flowing from the aneurysm, minimizing the risk of rupture. In Young’s case, though, something went wrong along the way.
This “endovascular coiling” method is one of several options for treating aneurysms. The second procedure, called neurosurgical clipping, entails making a small incision on the head right above the eyebrow. When a little bone flap is removed, the aneurysm is identified. The scalp is sewn back together after the surgeon securely seals it with a tiny metal clip.
The aneurysm’s size, location, and shape will determine which method should be used to treat it. Both techniques have potential dangers. However, coiling has generally been shown to carry a reduced overall risk of problems while also being a less intrusive operation.
The musician decided to drastically alter his lifestyle after being revived to safeguard his health. To better understand what his body needed and demanded at his age, this mostly meant quitting smoking marijuana.
However, his health issues have taken a severe toll, and Young says his future job prospects are uncertain: “Physically, I think it’s going to take its toll on me; it’s already starting to show itself here and there. I don’t think I will be able to continue primarily being a musician forever.”
Depending on the stage of the aneurysm, several symptoms can be used to detect it. According to the Mayo Clinic, an unruptured aneurysm may never exhibit symptoms, especially if it is tiny enough. The aneurysm may produce pain above or behind one eye, a dilated pupil, changes in vision, or numbness on one side of the face if it presses on brain tissues or nerves.
When an aneurysm ruptures, there are far more symptoms since the situation becomes urgently life-threatening.
Typical warning signs and symptoms include:
sudden, excruciating headache
nausea and diarrhea rigid neck double or blurry vision responsiveness to light
Seizure a lowered eyelid consciousness loss
Confusion.
According to some reports, the “worst headache” anyone has ever felt is the one that results from an aneurysm rupture.
Due to the amount of blood pouring from the aneurysm site, those who have them frequently experience this headache.
If your headaches get very bad, it’s crucial to get medical help.
Similar to Young, brain aneurysms are frequently diagnosed through an MRI scan. However, a CT scan is the preferable way to locate the brain’s bleeding region if it is believed that the aneurysm has ruptured.
It’s crucial to assist in lowering your blood pressure to lower your risk of developing a brain aneurysm. You can achieve this by giving up smoking.
Eating a balanced diet, limiting alcohol use, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising frequently, and consuming less caffeine are additional common ways to lower high blood pressure.
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