Little known symptoms that can appear seven days before having a stroke

15 August 2023 , 12:57

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Little known symptoms that can appear seven days before having a stroke

People are being warned it is vital to spot early stroke signs and there are symptoms that appear a week beforehand.

Stroke signs often come suddenly with serious consequences and it is necessary to get urgent medical treatment. But there are also symptoms that people will have before a serious stroke.

A headache, numbness or tingling could all be felt beforehand, said a London medical clinic, who urged people not to ignore early warning signs.

"The signs of a stroke often appear suddenly, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t have time to act,” said The Medical Specialists. “Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke. One study found that 43% of stroke patients experienced mini-stroke symptoms up to a week before they had a major stroke.

“If you take note of these symptoms and seek help even if they go away, then your chances of a good recovery are much better. Don’t ignore the early warning signs. You aren’t overreacting if there’s a change you’ve had a TIA (transient ischaemic attack). Get help right away as a more serious stroke could be hours or days away.”

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Certain symptoms of a stroke may appear a week beforehand (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

There are around 100,000 people who a stroke each year in the UK which works out at one every five minutes and people can reduce their chances of having one by making lifestyle changes. These include eating more healthily and doing more exercise.

But when someone does have a stroke the main five symptoms can be remembered in the FAST, according to the NHS.

• Face – the face may have dropped on one side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped.
• Arms – the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in 1 arm.
• Speech – their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake; they may also have problems understanding what you're saying to them.
• Time – it's time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms.

And along with the FAST acronym, The Medical Specialists has also made a list of other symptoms to be aware about. It says that people may suffer a sudden and severe headache, feel dizzy or lose coordination. As well they may have changes to their vision, get confused or have numbness down one side of the body.

Tim Hanlon