Unrecognised Symptoms That May Indicate Stroke Risk

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Neurocritical and intensive care subspecialist neurologist from the University of Indonesia Hospital (RSUI), Dr. Ramdinal Aviesena Zairinal, Sp.N(K), has stated that the onset of a stroke is often marked by symptoms that may be recognised or go unnoticed by the sufferer. According to him, a symptom indicating stroke that is frequently overlooked is vertigo, or a sudden spinning sensation. Vertigo is heavily influenced by the organs or body parts that control balance. “But sometimes there are symptoms that are difficult to recognise or go unnoticed; one of the most common is vertigo. This does not mean that everyone with vertigo is having a stroke, but one thing we consider is if a person has risk factors and then suddenly experiences spinning dizziness, it could point towards a stroke symptom,” said the doctor, familiarly called Sena, to ANTARA in Jakarta on Friday. Besides vertigo, visual disturbances can also be an often-unrecognised symptom of stroke. Patients experience what is known as a visual field defect, or sudden difficulty seeing, darkness, or blurred vision. “Sometimes people might think, ‘oh, this is just a normal headache, oh, this might be fatigue,’ thus delaying treatment. That is one example,” he added. In this regard, Sena continued, one thing that must be understood is that a stroke occurs suddenly, meaning a person can experience a symptom all at once. There are several symptoms that can be signs of a stroke. Internationally, stroke symptoms are recognised using the F-A-S-T method (Face, Arm, Speech, Time), which emphasises facial changes, arm weakness, speech difficulties, and the importance of recognising symptoms for rapid treatment. “If one side of the face suddenly becomes inactive, with less visible expression, that also indicates a stroke symptom. If this event occurs suddenly, you must go to the hospital immediately. So that is the most commonly found symptom,” he said.