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In a shocking revelation, Bollywood’s ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’
Salman Khan
said that he is battling three serious medical conditions — brain aneurysm, AV malformation, and trigeminal neuralgia.
The 59-year-old legendary actor made this
revelation
during his appearance on the first episode of Netflix’s The Great Indian Kapil Show, casually mentioning these conditions while speaking to comedian and host Kapil Sharma.
“Hum ye jo daily ki haddiyan tudwa rahe hain, pasliyan toot gai, trigeminal neuralgia ke sath kaam kar rahe hain, aneurysm hai brain mein uske bawajood kaam kar rahe hain. AV malformation hai, uske bawajood chal rahe hain,” Salman said during the show.
(I’m out here breaking my bones every day — ribs are fractured, I’m working despite having trigeminal neuralgia, there’s an aneurysm in the brain, yet I’m still working. There’s also an AV malformation, and still, I’m carrying on).
So what are these medical conditions? Are they curable? Here’s what we know about them
What is a brain aneurysm?
A brain aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. According to the US’ National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), it occurs when a weak spot in the artery wall balloons out and fills with blood.
Experts at the Mayo Clinic explain that this happens when the force of blood flowing through the vessel puts constant pressure on the weakened section of the wall, causing it to expand over time. If the aneurysm continues to grow and eventually leaks or ruptures, it can lead to a hemorrhagic stroke, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition involving bleeding in the brain.
Aneurysms can form in arteries anywhere in the body, including the heart, brain, abdomen, or legs, and are often linked to conditions like high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, or inherited traits.
What is AV malformation or AVM?
An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare but serious condition where a tangled web of abnormal blood vessels forms in the brain, disrupting the normal flow of blood between arteries and veins.
Under typical conditions, arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain, and veins return oxygen-depleted blood back to the lungs and heart. But in the case of an AVM, this process is bypassed due to the abnormal connection, causing high-pressure arterial blood to flow directly into veins, which are not built to handle it.
AVMs are usually congenital, meaning they’re present at birth, although symptoms may not appear until much later in life, sometimes not at all. According to experts cited by the Indian Express, about 12 per cent of patients with AVMs experience symptoms, and if none occur by the age of 50, they may never appear.
When symptoms do occur, they can include buzzing in the ears, chronic headaches, seizures, muscle weakness, facial paralysis, as well as speech or motor issues. In more severe cases, AVMs can cause stroke or brain haemorrhages, making early diagnosis and monitoring crucial.
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also known as tic douloureux, is a type of chronic pain disorder that involves sudden attacks of severe facial pain.
It typically happens when a blood vessel puts pressure on your trigeminal nerve near your brainstem. This nerve provides sensation to your head and face. The main symptom of trigeminal neuralgia is sudden, intense pain in the face, usually on one side.
The pain may be an electric shock-like or stabbing sensation. One may also have facial muscle spasms during the attacks. In between pain attacks, one may feel burning, throbbing, numbness and dull achiness.
What are the treatment options?
Treatment for the conditions Salman Khan revealed—brain aneurysm, AV malformation (AVM), and trigeminal neuralgia—varies depending on their severity and risk.
According to The Indian Express, small brain aneurysms (less than 4 mm) are often just monitored closely with regular imaging. If there’s a risk of rupture, doctors may perform a minimally invasive procedure where soft platinum coils are inserted through a catheter to block blood flow to the aneurysm. Surgery is only recommended if the aneurysm grows or begins to show warning signs.
For AVM, treatment usually involves minimally invasive techniques as well. A common approach is to thread a catheter through the blood vessels to reach the tangle and block it off. In some cases, radiosurgery—a focused form of radiation therapy—is used to gradually shrink the AVM without open surgery.
When it comes to trigeminal neuralgia, the first line of treatment typically involves antiseizure medications and muscle relaxants, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If the pain becomes severe or medications don’t help, surgical options may be explored.
These include radiosurgery, rhizotomy (nerve destruction), peripheral neurectomy, or microvascular decompression, where blood vessels pressing on the nerve are repositioned.
Each of these treatments comes with its own risks and benefits, and decisions are usually made based on the patient’s age, overall health, and how the condition progresses.
With input from agencies