Unrecognised Symptoms That May Indicate Stroke Risk

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Dr Ramdinal Aviesena Zairinal, a neurocritical and intensive care subspecialist from the Universitas Indonesia Hospital (RSUI), stated that the onset of a stroke is often marked by symptoms that are either recognised or entirely unnoticed by the sufferer.

According to him, symptoms indicating a stroke that are frequently unrecognised include vertigo, or a sensation of spinning that appears suddenly. Vertigo is heavily influenced by the organs or parts of the body that control balance.

“However, there are sometimes symptoms that are difficult to notice or go unrecognised, and one of the most frequent is vertigo. This does not mean every instance of vertigo is a stroke, but one of the things we consider is that if someone has risk factors and suddenly experiences spinning dizziness, it could be leading towards stroke symptoms,” said the doctor, affectionately known as Sena, to ANTumn to ANTARA in Jakarta on Friday.

In addition to vertigo, visual disturbances can also be a symptom of a stroke that often goes unnoticed. Patients may experience field of vision impairment or sudden difficulty in seeing, such as darkness or blurred vision.

“People might sometimes assume, ‘oh, this is just ordinary dizziness, or perhaps fatigue,’ leading to delayed 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 symptoms abruptly.

There are several symptoms that can serve as signs of a stroke. Internationally, stroke symptoms are recognised using the F-A-S-T method (Face, Arm, Speech, Time), which emphasises changes in the face, arm weakness, speech impairment, and the importance of recognising symptoms for rapid treatment.

“If suddenly one side of the face becomes inactive or shows less expression, this also indicates stroke symptoms. If this occurs suddenly, one must go to the hospital immediately. Therefore, these are the most common symptoms that can be found,” he said.