What does a stroke feel like? Well, you wouldn’t exactly know until you get one, right? I guess the reason why you are reading this article is because you want to confirm if what happened to you recently was a stroke, or something else! Read this article to find out.
Have you ever witnessed, or experienced a stroke yourself? Well, you might have seen it in movies, or in the daily soaps when an otherwise normal looking person suddenly falls on the floor and appears to become paralytic in extreme pain! Though the dramatization on the screen is way too intense, a stroke in real life could be much different from what we see on television. Before we understand as to how does a stroke feel like, let us first throw light on the fact as to what exactly is a stroke.
Unlike heart attack, wherein the arteries are damaged or blocked by blood clots or cholesterol deposits, making it almost impossible for the heart to receive enough blood; a stroke on the other hand, is a condition wherein the brain is unable to receive enough blood supply due to formation of blood clots or cholesterol deposits in the blood arteries of the brain.
Yes, it is the lack of blood supply in the brain that causes a stroke, and knowing that the brain is one of the most vital organs of the body, you can well imagine how fatal it can prove to be! There are short stroke attacks known as a mini strokes, and long attacks which last for almost an hour or more simply known as strokes. While some strokes can prove to be less fatal, there are some severe strokes that can cause permanent paralysis and disability in a person.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke?
Well, as mentioned earlier, the answer to the question as to what does a stroke feel like, varies from person to person. While some may experience some warning signs before getting a stroke, there might be some cases wherein there were no prior symptoms. Such strokes which arrive without any warning are known as silent strokes. Mentioned below are some of the commonly known symptoms of a stroke, that is if it wasn’t a silent stroke!
- Blurred vision, or sudden changes in the vision.
- Inability or difficulty in talking. People are also not able to understand when others talk to them during the episode.
- Unable to balance the body.
- An intense pressure and ache in the head.
- The things around, seem to be very confusing and unstable.
- The face may have a tingling and numb sensation, and one might feel extreme weakness or even paralysis in the face, arms, and/or legs.
- Blacking out
- A warm sensation behind the ears.
How Does it Feel to Get a Stroke?
If you ask different people who have experienced a stroke, you might be surprised to know that everyone will have a different story to tell. While you will find some people saying that they were all relaxed and didn’t even see it coming, there will be some who will probably tell you that they experienced the aforementioned symptoms, and could sense that something was going to happen.
To add to it, there are some people who would say that they actually felt heaviness in their head, or felt pain in their head, eyes, or arms…, and suddenly their body went all stiff, and before they could realize, they lost balance and ended up lying down on the floor in a paralytic state. Some people also end up vomiting and are unable to feel their left side. There are some people who experience excruciating pain, and on the other hand, there are some people for whom the stroke does not include pain at all.
Many compare the experience of a stroke to that of how it feels to have a heart attack. However, the point to be noted is that these two scenarios are very different from each other, which is something that you would have understood after reading this write up. I hope this HealthHearty article helped you in understanding as to how does a stroke feel like. If you think that what you got was a stroke or have experienced symptoms similar to a stroke, then it is strictly advisable to get in touch with your health care specialist as soon as possible.
Also, in case you are with someone while they are having a stroke, and you want to be sure if what is happening is a stroke and not something else, then experts suggest that you should always ask the victim to smile, and if the smile is lopsided, it means that the person is having a stroke and you should call 911 immediately. A stroke can prove to be exceptionally fatal. So, even if what you had was minor, and was over in a few minutes, there are chances that you can have a severe form of the same within the next 90 days. So make sure that you don’t neglect the aforementioned signs. Do take care of yourself and make sure that you don’t delay seeking medical attention. Have a safe tomorrow.
