Silent Stroke do whisper

The interruption of blood flow occurs in areas of the brain that do not control vital bodily functions such as speech or movement. For this reason, while they’re happening, silent strokes present either no symptoms or symptoms that go unnoticed or largely ignored.

Moreover, even though silent strokes present no major immediate symptoms, if they occur continuously over time, their effects can be cumulative, leading to memory problems and dementia and a much higher risk for a major ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.

Some of the biggest risk factors that can lead to silent stroke include uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Studies also show a link between silent strokes and sleep apnea. So the most crucial step you can take to prevent silent strokes (and major strokes) is to get these conditions under control.

It goes without saying that you should pay attention to your body and not “blow off” or disregard any unusual symptoms, like unexplained dizziness, loss of muscle coordination, confusion, vision changes, etc. Stroke Specialist / Neurologist treat silent strokes much the same way they treat ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. And the quicker you get treatment, the lower your chances of serious, long-term effects.

Here’s the real kicker: According to research, approximately 12 million strokes occur every year, and 11 million of those are silent strokes. This means 11 million people are having strokes and most likely don’t even know about it according to Stroke Specialist, Dr Winnie Lim Khoo – Adult Neurologist from Manila, Philippines.