Most signs of a stroke come on suddenly and symptoms like speech slurring can appear more obvious – but not all indicators are as clear.
A seemingly harmless symptom could be an early warning sign of a stroke. Strokes are one of the leading causes of death and disability, responsible for a staggering 38,000 deaths every year in the UK alone. An ischemic stroke is the most common variation – caused when the blood supply to our brain is blocked or reduced; whereas Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts and causes bleeding in the brain.
Many Brits are familiar with the contemporaneous signs of a stroke thanks to an influx of TV adverts created to spread awareness of the ‘FAST’ acronym. This urges people to call 999 straight away if a person’s face is drooping, their speech slurred, or they are unable to raise their arms. During a stroke, every minute counts, so getting medical attention ASAP is vital.
While the signs of a stroke tend to come on very sudden, there is one potential early indicator. According 2020 study published in BioMed central, 15 per cent of 550 participants experienced a ‘sentinel headache’ before having an ischemic stroke.
“A sentinel headache is defined as a headache that occurs before an event, defined as one week before a stroke in this case,” Healthline states, adding that the study found these headaches were ‘either severe in nature or different from any previous headache’. The headaches started within one week of the stroke and tended to remain until stroke symptoms occurred. However, not all participants experienced them.
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Research has also shown that a transient ischemic attack (TIA) – often referred to as a ‘mini stroke’ could also be a red flag of a stroke. However, one study from 2021 found that the number of people experiencing a stroke within 90 days of a TIA has actually decreased in recent years. This may be due to preventative measures people take after experiencing a TIA (medication, lifestyle changes etc).
TIAs often carry with them the same symptoms of a stroke, but may only last for a few minutes or hours. Even if these side-effects, go away, you should still seek medical help straight away. Along with the FAST symptoms (Face, arms, and speech) the NHS says other symptoms are possible. These include:
- Complete paralysis of one side of the body
- Sudden vision loss, blurred vision or double vision
- Vertigo
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Difficulty understanding what others are saying
- Problems with balance and co-ordination
- Difficulty swallowing
While these symptoms do not necessarily mean you’ve had a TIA, you should call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance.” Even if the symptoms disappear while you’re waiting for an ambulance to arrive, an assessment in hospital should still be done,” the NHS added.
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