Experts have shared the rare warning signs of a stroke Prue Leith Yesterday she revealed she was rushed to hospital after a terrifying scare.
The former Bake Off judge, 86, was on holiday with her husband John Playfair when her vision became ‘a bright circle of flickering colored lights’.
Although she had suffered from migraines since the age of nine and had previously experienced visual disturbances, Prue was shocked to find her speech subsequently lapsed into an “incomprehensible jumble of disjointed words.”
Having never suffered from this symptom before, John called Prue’s doctor, fearing she was having a stroke.
After a CT scan in hospital and ten hours of tests, doctors confirmed that Prue had not suffered a stroke, but that her symptoms were caused by migraines.
But experts warn that many more Brits may be making the opposite mistake – dismissing signs of a stroke as something less serious.
Stroke, which occurs when blood stops flowing to part of the brain, depriving cells of oxygen, remains the fourth leading cause of death in Britain and claims around 34,000 lives every year.
But while many people know the main symptoms under the four-letter acronym FAST — face, arms, speech, time — these other common warning signs may fall under the radar, experts say.
Read on for the stroke symptoms that should never be dismissed…
Dame Prue Leith yesterday revealed she had been rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke
Sudden numbness on one side of the body
Numbness affecting the hand, arm, leg or part of the face is very common.
The symptom is often due to nerve compression, especially if it occurs while sitting or lying down, as this can put pressure on the nerves, Professor Martin Dennis, an expert in stroke medicine at the University of Edinburgh, previously told the Daily Mail.
However, if sudden numbness occurs ‘at the same time’ in the face and arm or in the arm and leg, this may be a cause for concern.
Not everyone will experience all the signs of a stroke.
But if you experience numbness in addition to any of the symptoms under the acronym FAST, you should seek help.
Loss of vision in one or both eyes
A stroke can cause blurred vision or loss of vision in one or both eyes – a problem reported by Prue.
However, this symptom may not be as well recognized as facial weakness.
This is despite a 2017 study published in the journal Stroke which concluded that of the one in seven stroke patients who do not experience FAST symptoms, four in 10 cite visual problems as one of their stroke symptoms.
‘Loss of vision on one side or double vision that disappears when closing one eye are both major symptoms of a stroke,’ Professor Dennis said.
He said: ‘Loss of vision in one eye – whether transient or lasting for more than a day – could indicate a problem with circulation to the eye and a risk of stroke.
‘However, no treatment with thrombolysis or thrombectomy would be necessary.
‘Sometimes stroke patients are suddenly unable to use a TV or a household appliance, or wash or dress themselves for no apparent reason.’
Professor Dennis warned: ‘The sudden inability to do things should not be ignored.’
Sudden memory loss
Figures show that one in seven stroke patients do not even experience FAST symptoms.
And while it is not itself a symptom of a stroke, someone who appears to be suffering from memory loss may actually be experiencing the life-threatening condition.
Confusion and difficulty understanding speech are signs of a stroke, which to a normal person may appear as if someone has lost their memory.
That’s why sudden memory loss can seem like a ‘rare’ sign of a stroke, says Professor Dennis.
‘People who develop aphasia or dysphasia (difficulty understanding language) will scramble their words and may not be able to say or understand anything,’ Professor Dennis said.
‘Their reading and writing can be affected. They may be described by laypeople as confused or having amnesia because they cannot answer questions.”
Sudden dizziness
Vertigo – the feeling that you, or the environment around you, is spinning – is a symptom caused by a range of health problems.
It is often harmless and a sign of an ear infection or headache.
But when combined with double vision, weakness or clumsiness of the limbs, and slurred speech, it can be a sign of a stroke.
‘Isolated dizziness is very common and is usually due to a minor problem with the balance system in the ear,’ said Professor Dennis.
In fact, a 2016 study suggested that between 15,000 and 25,000 people who experience a stroke each year and present with symptoms of vertigo or lightheadedness may experience serious or potentially preventable harm as a result of an initial misdiagnosis.
A separate 2017 study suggested that four in 10 stroke victims, who did not experience typical symptoms, said they suffered from dizziness.
A sudden, severe headache
Although uncommon, a sudden, severe headache can indicate signs of a stroke.
Often associated with migraine, in some rarer cases it can be ‘a feature of a subarachnoid or intracerebral haemorrhage’, said Professor Dennis.
A subarachnoid hemorrhage, an unusual type of stroke, is bleeding in the space around the brain.
This bleeding between the thin layers of tissue that cover the brain can often cause serious side effects, including disability, or can even prove fatal.
Professor Martin James, a stroke consultant at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust in Devon, previously told the Daily Mail that while it is not often a sign of a stroke, it is still ‘a medical emergency, for fear of a subarachnoid haemorrhage’.
Dr. However, Joseph Kwan, chief medical officer at Charing Cross Hospital in London, also noted that headaches are not specific enough to be included in the FAST list as this would result in ‘too many false alarms’.
Difficulty swallowing
Although it is ‘very rarely a sign of a stroke in itself’, Professor James warned, swallowing problems should still be taken seriously.
‘Food or more commonly liquids going in the wrong direction, causing the person to choke’ could indicate someone is having a stroke, Professor Dennis said.
It is “almost always associated with other stroke symptoms, such as weakness of the limbs or face, or problems with slurred or jumbled speech,” he added.
According to the Stroke Association, this is often associated with severe strokes.
‘Swallowing is a complicated task that requires your brain to coordinate many different muscles,’ added Professor Dennis.
‘If your stroke damages the parts of your brain that do this, it will affect your ability to swallow. Swallowing problems are also called dysphagia.’
Dysphagia is thought to affect up to 15 million adults in the US and around four million in Britain.
Julie Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, previously told the Daily Mail: ‘Stroke experiences and stroke symptoms can vary from person to person, but if something doesn’t feel right or you notice the signs of a stroke in yourself or someone else, it is crucial to call 999 straight away.
‘This will ensure you are scanned and seen by a stroke specialist as quickly as possible when you arrive at hospital, giving you or a loved one the best chance of survival and recovery.’
