(HealthDay News) -- A cerebral aneurysm occurs when the wall of a vein or artery located in the brain becomes dilated, enlarged or bulging.

While aneurysms may strike anyone, they tend to occur more often in adults than children, and in more women than men.

Symptoms of a cerebral aneurysm may vary according to its severity. The U.S National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) says that some aneurysms are small and stagnant, and may cause very few or no symptoms. Other aneurysms are larger, continue to grow, and may cause vision problems or numbness in the face. Before an aneurysm ruptures, a patient may have sudden difficulty seeing, nausea, vomiting, headache or unconsciousness.

If the aneurysm does rupture, according to NINDS, emergency surgery is usually needed within three days to alleviate pressure building up in the brain and to repair the aneurysm to prevent additional internal bleeding. If the aneurysm is diagnosed prior to rupture, surgery and other procedures can be performed to prevent a rupture and additional complications.