Vertebral Artery Dissection Quiz

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Reviewed By:

Maxwell J. Nanes

Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency department)

Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |

Shohei Harase

Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)

Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.

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People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • One eye won't close completely

  • Corner of the mouth does not rise

  • Unable to wrinkle one half of my forehead

  • Facial nerve paralysis

  • Eyes not tracking together

  • Raising the corner of the mouth is not possible

  • Can only wink with my left eye

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Learn more about Vertebral artery dissection

Content updated on Sep 20, 2022

What is vertebral artery dissection?

The vertebral artery is in the neck and provides blood to the brain. A vertebral artery dissection occurs when there's a tear in the artery's inner lining, disrupting blood flow to the brain and causing a stroke. This typically happens due to a blunt force to the neck.

Symptoms of vertebral artery dissection

  • Unable to move my face

  • I feel like I'm spinning around / vertigo

  • Eyeballs cannot move properly, and cannot look in a certain direction

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Headache

  • Difficulty pronouncing words

  • Sensation of imbalance as if floating when at sea

Questions your doctor may ask to check for vertebral artery dissection

Your doctor may ask these questions to diagnose vertebral artery dissection

  • Do you have difficulty controlling the muscles of your face?

  • Do you feel like your surroundings are spinning around?

  • Do you have problems moving your eyes in a specific direction?

  • Do you have nausea or vomiting?

  • Do you have headaches or does your head feel heavy?

Treatment for vertebral artery dissection

Dissections often heal on their own and have a good prognosis. Treatment aims to reduce future stroke risk by using blood thinners and anticoagulants.

View the symptoms of Vertebral artery dissection

References

  • Saw AE, McIntosh AS, Kountouris A. Vertebral artery dissection in sport: Expert opinion of mechanisms and risk-reduction strategies. J Clin Neurosci. 2019 Oct;68:28-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.07.016. Epub 2019 Aug 6. PMID: 31399319.

    https://www.jocn-journal.com/article/S0967-5868(19)30151-1/fulltext

  • Braga BP, Sillero R, Pereira RM, Urgun K, Swift DM, Rollins NK, Hogge AJ, Dowling MM. Dynamic compression in vertebral artery dissection in children: apropos of a new protocol. Childs Nerv Syst. 2021 Apr;37(4):1285-1293. doi: 10.1007/s00381-020-04956-1. Epub 2020 Nov 6. PMID: 33155060.

    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00381-020-04956-1

  • Harada T, Harada Y, Shimizu T. Vertebral Artery Dissection after Exposure to Levofloxacin: A Report of Two Cases. Intern Med. 2021 Sep 1;60(17):2863-2865. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.6736-20. Epub 2021 Mar 22. PMID: 33746163; PMCID: PMC8479225.

    https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/internalmedicine/60/17/60_6736-20/_article

User testimonials

Reviewed By:

Maxwell J. Nanes

Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency department)

Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |

Shohei Harase

Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)

Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.

From our team of 50+ doctors

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Shohei Harase, MD

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