The popular depiction of a stroke illustrates the health problem as a medical emergency that strikes out of nowhere.
While this is exactly how stroke can play out, the first signs sometimes appear days or even a week before the event.
A study, published in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that 43 percent of stroke patients experienced mini stroke symptoms “up to a week before” they had a major stroke.
Mini strokes, or transient ischaemic attacks, are caused by a disruption of the blood supply to the brain, just like a full-blown stroke, but the only difference is that a mini strokes are temporary.
The good news is that your blood supply manages to find a way through during a transient ischaemic attack.
Looking at 2,416 people, the research found that mini strokes occurred in 549 patients before the actual emergency struck.
One of the most common signs that can point to a mini stroke and warn of an upcoming stroke is a sudden headache.
Fortunately, Peter Byrom, health expert and owner of Peter Byrom Audiology, shared with Express.co.uk how to spot a stroke-related headache.
Byrom said: “Stroke-related headaches differ from standard headaches as they tend to come on suddenly.
“The pain is severe and usually located in whatever area of the brain is affected.
“Due to similarities in some of the accompanying symptoms, such as nausea, vertigo, vision distortion and disorientation, stroke-related headaches can sometimes be confused for migraines.
“The key differentiator between the two conditions is that stroke-related headaches result in a loss of sensations while migraines lead to increased sensations.”
The health expert recommended seeking “immediate” medical assistance if you are experiencing a stroke-related headache.
Byrom added: “If something feels unusual or different about a headache, it’s always best to trust your gut.
“Even a mini-stroke can be damaging to brain health, so it’s vital that the signs of stroke aren’t ignored.”
According to the study, other warning signs of mini strokes include the following:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion or problems understanding
- Sudden difficulty speaking
- Sudden vision difficulty in one or both eyes
- Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or difficulty walking
- Sudden, severe headache with no apparent cause.
