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Nurse's 'Hammer Blow' Headache Was Life-Threatening Aneurysm
28 Jan
Summary
- A sudden severe headache felt like a hammer blow, signaling a brain bleed.
- Mandy Park experienced an out-of-body sensation before collapsing.
- Being in a hospital saved her life due to rapid medical intervention.
On April 24, 2025, nurse Mandy Park experienced a sudden, severe headache that felt like being hit by a hammer, followed by an out-of-body sensation. She realized this was a ruptured brain aneurysm, a dangerous subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Park was fortunate to be at work in a hospital when the event occurred, allowing for rapid medical intervention. After collapsing and losing consciousness, she woke in the emergency department. Doctors performed a five-hour surgery to insert clips and stop blood flow, requiring 52 staples to close her skull.
Discharged nine days later, Park faced a long recovery marked by extreme fatigue, short-term memory loss, and weight loss. She continues therapy for PTSD and has not returned to her previous hospital ward.
Now, Park uses social media to educate others about the critical difference between a migraine and a thunderclap headache, emphasizing that the latter requires emergency care.
