What Is a silent stroke?

What is a silent stroke?

When people think of a stroke, they usually see a dramatic event. A person suddenly shows the main signs of brain discomfort, such as dizziness or the inability to move and speak correctly. The term “silent stroke” produced a very different picture. When one of these occurs, it may not even be noticed, or, as has been suggested, it simply eliminates the more minor, less severe symptoms.

A stroke occurs when oxygen-rich blood cannot supply all the brain’s tissues.

It may be due to a blood clot reaching the brain (ischemia) and cutting off the blood flow. The accumulation of blood in the head may also cut off the blood supply (bleeding). The symptoms of a stroke can be very severe and may be noticed immediately. In addition to the early symptoms, the longer the blood flow is restricted, the more brain cells will die due to oxygen loss. It can lead to considerable changes in the function of many parts of the brain.

In some cases, a silent stroke will occur, which is usually an ischemic type, the symptoms will not be very severe, and the area of ​​brain damage has nothing to do with obvious function. Research in this field undoubtedly shows that silent strokes can cause brain damage, cumulative effects. In addition to increasing the statistical risk of other strokes, these “silent” attacks are still dangerous.

There is evidence that a silent stroke may not be completely silent.

Some people do remember the symptoms of a stroke, such as sudden confusion, loss of coordination, severe headaches or dizziness. However, when these symptoms disappear quickly, people may ignore their importance instead of seeing a doctor: this is an essential step in follow-up treatment and preventive health care. Others have no symptoms and therefore do not know that they should see a doctor. Evidence of silent stroke and brain damage caused by it can be visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), making the diagnosis relatively easy, as long as someone realizes that they may have a stroke.

Some suggestions are to use MRI as a preventive or standard diagnostic method for silent stroke. Due to the overhead of these scans, this is not always satisfactory. However, doctors who support routine brain screening point out that statistics indicate that the risk of stroke in the elderly may be higher, with fewer symptoms.

While weighing this matter, it is always essential to take stroke seriously. High-risk groups include people who smoke, have high blood pressure, and have a history of blood clots or atherosclerosis. People who have a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (minor stroke) in the past are also at increased risk. People with these risk factors, especially some of them, should discuss the diagnosis of silent stroke with their doctor. If the symptoms disappear entirely, people are also advised to seek medical help, even if the symptoms disappear quickly.