The important truth about “a month before a stroke”
There isn’t a reliable set of 10 symptoms that predicts a stroke exactly one month in advance. That claim can be misleading.
The important warning event to recognize is a transient ischemic attack (TIA)—a temporary episode in which blood flow to part of the brain is disrupted. A TIA can produce the same sudden symptoms as a stroke, and the symptoms may disappear, but it still requires urgent medical assessment. www.stroke.org+1
Warning signs you should never ignore
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Sudden numbness or weakness, particularly on one side of the face, arm, or leg
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Sudden facial drooping
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Sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech
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Sudden vision loss or major vision changes
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Sudden dizziness or loss of balance/coordination
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Sudden difficulty walking
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Sudden confusion
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Sudden severe headache with no known cause
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Sudden difficulty swallowing
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Sudden nausea/vomiting when occurring with other neurological symptoms www.stroke.org+1
Think B.E. F.A.S.T.
B — Balance loss
E — Eye/vision changes
F — Face drooping
A — Arm weakness
S — Speech difficulty
T — Time to seek emergency help
If these symptoms happen even briefly and then disappear, don’t wait for them to return. A TIA can be a warning of a future stroke, and urgent assessment is recommended. www.stroke.org+1
If symptoms are happening right now, seek emergency medical care immediately rather than waiting for an appointment.
