Not all brain strokes are sudden, but more often than not, they are considered “silent killers.” Even the most common symptoms of a stroke appear only a few days before it strikes. In many cases, these warning signs are either ignored or not taken seriously.
At other times, a person might feel perfectly healthy right until the deadly symptoms creep in silently.
Ischemic Stroke: These are strokes caused by blockage of an artery (or, in rare instances, a vein). About 87% of all strokes are ischemic.
Hemorrhagic Stroke: These are strokes caused by bleeding. About 13% of all strokes are hemorrhagic.
For ischemic stroke, the symptoms may appear anytime within a few minutes to an hour before. The symptoms may vary from sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, facial drooping, confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, vision problems, dizziness, and loss of coordination.
However, hemorrhagic strokes are usually a result of silent symptoms that remain undetectable until the person suddenly experiences them. Symptoms include sudden, severe headache—often described as the “worst ever”—along with nausea, vomiting, seizures, pupil changes, loss of consciousness, or extreme agitation.
A study published in Neurology challenged the long-held belief that silent strokes are entirely symptom-free.
The researchers examined older adults with no prior history of stroke and found that nearly 31 percent had silent brain infarcts visible on MRI scans. While these strokes might have seemed symptom-free to the naked eye, doctors explained the symptoms were quite serious and far from harmless. 1
MedBound Times connected with Amya Arora, Health Manager at S&Y Clinic, Canada (CA).
Amya plays a critical role when she registers a patient at the clinic. She provides first aid, stabilizes the patient, and ensures they are ready to be seen by a senior doctor for further treatment.
Amya commented on how bystanders should react to a silent brain stroke patient. She said, "There are no signs before the onset of a stroke, we need to help people get educated on how to identify a stroke."
She said it is necessary to be cautious and vigilant about the symptoms for both the person who is experiencing a stroke as well as the bystander/caregiver.
"Usually when you see disorientation and blurred speech that should be sign enough. Then, when you notice, ask the patient to raise both arms and stick out their tongue, just to get a clear understanding of their state," she said.
Amya then commented about the initial steps to follow for quick first aid if and when a person realizes that they might be experiencing persistent stroke symptoms.
"If the patient is unable to lift both arms, is having blurred speech, and is complaining about sudden blackouts right after a severe headache, then we ask them to lie down, provide an aspirin, and start the medical procedure immediately," she said.
Amya said, "A stroke can be deadly, but with mild strokes, people can resume their normal life with proper lifestyle and dietary changes."
"Harsh and sudden strokes might cause death, and if not, then severe paralysis, weakness, temporary speech impairment, and memory problems are common aftereffects of a brain stroke."
References
1.Longstreth, W. T., T. A. Manolio, A. R. Arnold, C. L. Burke, A. Bryan, P. Jungreis, J. O’Leary, et al. 1996. “Clinical Correlates of White Matter Findings on Cranial Magnetic Resonance Imaging of 3301 Elderly People: The Cardiovascular Health Study.” Neurology 47 (1): 125–35. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9183343/.
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