What are the symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

Varies greatly: AAA symptoms may be acute or chronic and ranges from progressive decline of organ system functions such muscle pain/atrophy, kidney dysfunction to sudden organ deterioration or free rupture which is often deadly. If you have a family history of AAA or personal history of certain connective tissue disease, you should get a screening us exam of your abdominal aorta asap.

Pain: An aneurysm may be painless but may become symptomatic with impending rupture and present with abdominal or back pain.

Usually none: Most of AAA have no symptoms and discovered by routine physical exams, screening ultrasound or incidental finding on ct scans. If symptomatic then usually pain in upper to mid abdomen sometimes radiating to the back or just back pain , rupture with severe pain and shock , sometimes present as clots traveling to the legs with acute pain or blue toes. Rare type is infected or inflammatory /fever.