These Are the Signs That a Stroke Could Be Less Than a Week Away

In the United States alone, more than 795,000 people suffer from a stroke every year. Sadly, 140,000 of those Americans lose their lives because of that stroke.

A recent study released by the American Heart Association shows that 43% of patients who experienced a stroke had the same symptoms exactly one week earlier.

A stroke is considered a cerebrovascular disease, meaning it affects the blood vessels that provide the brain with oxygen. If the brain doesn’t receive ample oxygen, the brain cells begin to die immediately.

It’s important to note that in addition to ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, people can also experience mini-strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIA).

A regular stroke most often causes permanent damage to the brain, whereas a TIA may cause the immediate symptoms of a stroke, but they will dissipate over time.

Like a regular stroke, TIAs can cause slurred speech or difficulty understanding language, dizziness, loss of balance, double vision, and weakness, numbness, or paralysis in the face, arm, or leg.

TIAs are caused the same way a stroke is caused, but the symptoms are short-lived. These symptoms can only last for several minutes to an hour.

Unfortunately, many patients don’t even know they had a TIA, let alone get medical treatment. This means medical researchers don’t know exactly how many people experience TIAs yearly.

TIAs can be a warning sign that a more severe stroke may be coming very soon. The risk of a stroke is the highest in the first few weeks after a TIA.

Some early signs of a stroke could be numbness or weakness in your arms, legs, or face, or you start to notice that it is difficult to walk.

There can be early warning signs in your daily life that a stroke is in your near future. Severe headaches or vision problems could be signs of a mini-stroke in the next 90 days.

The study, which the American Heart Association shared in January 2023, showed that “nearly 1 in 5 of those who have a TIA will have a full-blown stroke within three months after the TIA.”

With this information in mind, doctors are desperate for people to understand and be on the lookout for the symptoms of TIAs.

Many people assume that because strokes are caused by blockages in the brain, doctors can’t do anything to prevent them. But that’s simply not true.

In addition to contacting your doctor immediately and receiving treatment for a TIA to lower your chances of experiencing a stroke, there are also several things you can do in your life to prevent TIAs and subsequent strokes altogether.

Of course, even people who follow each and every one of these instructions could still experience a TIA or a stroke. Doctors understand that there are risk factors, including age, family history, and various existing conditions, are out of our control.

Although a TIA often resolves within 24 hours, you should still be concerned about the mini-stroke you just experienced. While the symptoms fade, making them easily mistaken for something else like a migraine, a pinched never, or other issues, the suddenness of them should be the first thing to insinuate that something else is going on.

Another way to prepare is by keeping a list that includes the nearest hospital with a 24-hour stroke facility.

Strokes can happen to anyone at any time. Knowing the signs of a stroke can help you find the best medical attention when the symptoms start to show themselves.

When someone is experiencing a stroke, you need to act FAST. This acronym has been devised by medical professionals in order to save people from fatal and potentially detrimental strokes and it’s incredibly easy to remember.

Anyone can be at risk for TIA. As you get older, stroke rates increase by double every 10 years. Those who have previously had a stroke are also at high risk for TIA.

Many people believe that strokes and TIAs only affect older people, but studies have shown that younger people experience more and more strokes due to the increase in obesity in the country and sedentary behavior.

Doctors can save someone from a fatal stroke if they can administer treatment quickly enough.

The bottom line is that you should always see your doctor when your body doesn’t feel normal. It is better the jump on the issue as quickly as possible and find a solution before something worse comes along.