Top 10 Stroke Myths Debunked: What You Really Need to Know

Every minute counts when the brain is under attack. Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and death worldwide, but despite its seriousness, myths and misconceptions persist. Understanding the truth could save a life, maybe even your own.

Let’s begin by understanding what a stroke is.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke is a neurological emergency in which blood flow to a part of the brain is disrupted. This leads to oxygen and nutrient deprivation in brain cells, causing them to die rapidly. There are two primary types:

Ischemic Stroke

This is the most common type, accounting for about 80–90% of all strokes. It occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked, typically due to a clot or atherosclerotic plaque.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

This happens when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, leading to bleeding into the brain tissue. Causes include severely high blood pressure, head trauma, or vascular malformations.

Why Time Matters in Stroke

The brain is an extremely sensitive organ that requires continuous blood flow. Without it, brain cells in the affected area begin dying within minutes.

In fact, about 1.9 million neurons are lost for every minute that treatment is delayed.¹ This is why reinstating blood flow—whether through medical therapy like intravenous thrombolysis (e.g., tPA) or surgical options like mechanical thrombectomy—is crucial.

If done quickly, it can minimise permanent damage. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that reversible damage becomes irreversible, sometimes leading to lifelong disability or death.

This is what we refer to as the “golden hour”. Hence the popular medical saying: “Time is brain.”

10 Common Stroke Myths — Debunked

Let’s now explore some of the most widespread myths about stroke and the truth behind them.

Fact: While age is a risk factor, stroke can occur at any age. Increasingly, younger adults—even those in their 30s or 40s—are experiencing strokes due to lifestyle-related conditions like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking.

Fact: Medications are not meant to reverse paralysis but to prevent further strokes. Recovery from stroke-related paralysis depends heavily on early rehabilitation like physiotherapy. Discontinuing prescribed medications can lead to a recurrent or more severe stroke.

Fact: What people often describe as “mini strokes” are usually Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs). These resolve within 24 hours, usually within minutes to hours, but are serious warning signs of a possible major stroke. You can’t distinguish a TIA from a full stroke without medical evaluation, so immediate hospital care is essential.

Fact: While stroke is a leading cause of paralysis, paralysis can also result from spinal cord injury, nerve damage, or other neurological conditions. Stroke is just one of several causes.

Fact: Unfortunately, having one stroke or even a TIA significantly increases the risk of another. That’s why managing risk factors and adhering to long-term anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy is critical.

Fact: Stroke is treatable, but timing is everything. Treatments like tPA (alteplase) must be given within 3–4.5 hours of symptom onset. In some cases, mechanical thrombectomy needs to be done within 6 hours of symptom onset. The sooner treatment starts, the better the outcome.

Fact: Most strokes present with clear warning signs. Use the acronym FAST to recognise them:
F – Facial drooping or asymmetry
A – Arm weakness or numbness
S – Speech difficulty or slurred speech
T – Time to call emergency services

In some cases, especially wake-up strokes, a person may discover symptoms upon waking. These still require immediate evaluation, even if the exact onset time is unknown.

Fact: With prompt treatment and a structured rehabilitation plan, many stroke survivors regain independence and live full lives. The key is early intervention and continuous therapy.

Fact: Up to 80% of strokes are preventable. Controlling risk factors like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and smoking through a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduces the risk.

Fact: Stroke often impacts more than just movement. It can affect memory, cognition, mood, and behaviour. Post-stroke depression and cognitive impairment are common but manageable with the right support.

Time Is Brain. Act FAST.

Stroke is both preventable and treatable. The only factor that truly tips the scale is how quickly you act. Never ignore the warning signs, and remember:
F – Facial Drooping
A – Arm Weakness
S – Speech Difficulty
T – Time to Call Emergency Services

References

1. Saver, Jeffrey L. “Time Is Brain—Quantified.” Stroke 37, no. 1 (2006): 263–266. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.STR.0000196957.55928.ab.

2. American Stroke Association. “Types of Stroke.” American Stroke Association. Accessed June 4, 2025. https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/types-of-stroke.

3. American Stroke Association. “Life after Stroke.” American Stroke Association. Accessed June 4, 2025. https://www.stroke.org/en/life-after-stroke.

_MSM/SE