The headline “A month before a stroke, your body warns you: 10 signs not to ignore” is a bit misleading. A stroke does not always give a warning weeks in advance, and many strokes happen suddenly. However, some people experience warning signs—especially a transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a “mini-stroke”—which can occur before a major stroke and require urgent medical attention.
Possible warning signs include:
- Sudden weakness or numbness
- Especially on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
- Facial drooping
- One side of the face may feel weak or look uneven.
- Speech problems
- Trouble speaking, slurred speech, or difficulty understanding words.
- Sudden vision changes
- Loss of vision, blurred vision, or double vision.
- Sudden severe headache
- Especially a headache unlike any you’ve had before.
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Trouble walking, coordination problems, or unexplained falls.
- Confusion or difficulty thinking clearly
- Trouble swallowing
- Sudden weakness or clumsiness in a hand or arm
- A brief episode of stroke-like symptoms that goes away
- This can be a TIA and should not be ignored.
A simple way to remember stroke warning signs is FAST:
- F — Face: Is one side drooping?
- A — Arms: Can both arms be raised normally?
- S — Speech: Is speech unclear?
- T — Time: Call emergency services immediately if these signs appear.
Even if symptoms disappear after a few minutes, it can still be an emergency. Early medical evaluation can help reduce the risk of a major stroke.
