‘I carry on despite it all’: Actor Salman Khan reveals battle with 3 serious brain disorders

In a deeply personal revelation, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has shared that he is battling not one, but three serious neurological conditions — trigeminal neuralgia, a brain aneurysm, and an arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

Speaking on The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix, Khan opened up about his ongoing health struggles that have remained largely out of the public eye.

“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 (AVM), and still, I’m carrying on,” Khan told host Kapil Sharma.

For years, Khan’s struggle with trigeminal neuralgia has been known. Often dubbed the “suicide disease” because of its excruciating, electric-shock-like pain, trigeminal neuralgia affects the nerve that carries signals from the face to the brain. Even simple acts like brushing teeth or applying makeup can trigger waves of unbearable pain. Khan underwent surgery in 2011 to relieve pressure on this nerve.

But his disclosure about also battling an aneurysm and an AVM adds new gravity to his fight. Both conditions, though sometimes asymptomatic, carry serious risks if they rupture.

Understanding AVM and aneurysm: hidden threats in the brain

An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels that disrupts normal blood flow and oxygen supply. Instead of blood traveling through tiny capillaries, arteries connect directly to veins, causing a sudden gush of blood that weakens vessel walls over time. While many AVMs are congenital and discovered only incidentally, about 12% of cases present symptoms such as headaches, seizures, muscle weakness, speech problems, and in severe cases, haemorrhage or stroke.

A brain aneurysm, on the other hand, is a balloon-like bulge in a weakened artery wall. Often caused by high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, or genetic factors, most aneurysms remain silent unless they grow or rupture. A burst aneurysm can lead to sudden severe headaches, confusion, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and life-threatening internal bleeding.

Who is at risk?

“These two neurological conditions can co-exist,” explains Dr. Sonal Gupta, Director and Head of Neurosurgery at Fortis Hospital, New Delhi. “While both may not always be immediately life-threatening, rupture can lead to grave complications like haemorrhage. AVMs are more common in men, aneurysms slightly more common in women, and both usually manifest after the age of 50.”

Modern medicine offers hope

Thankfully, advances in minimally invasive surgery are offering safer treatment options. For AVMs, doctors can thread catheters through blood vessels, use focused radiation (radiosurgery), or shrink the malformation with targeted therapy. Aneurysms, depending on size, may be monitored or treated with soft platinum coils inserted via catheter to prevent rupture.

Despite these silent threats, Salman Khan’s resilience stands tall. His candid disclosure not only reflects his personal courage but also raises vital awareness about these often-overlooked neurological conditions that silently endanger millions.