A Month Before a Stroke, Your Body Warns You: 10 Signs Not to Ignore

There are three main types:

Ischemic Stroke (87% of cases)

A blood clot or plaque blocks an artery in the brain

Hemorrhagic Stroke

A weakened blood vessel ruptures, causing bleeding in the brain

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) – “Mini-Stroke”

Temporary blockage that resolves on its own — but it’s a major red flag

⚠️ Key Fact: A TIA is not “just a scare.” It increases your risk of a full-blown stroke by up to 10x in the next 90 days, especially within the first week.

🔔 10 Warning Signs That May Appear Weeks Before a Stroke

These symptoms may come and go — but don’t ignore them.

1. Sudden Headaches with No Clear Cause

Not just any headache — this one feels different: sudden, severe, explosive.

May be accompanied by dizziness or vomiting.

Common in hemorrhagic strokes.

💡 Think: “Worst headache of my life.”

2. Unexplained Dizziness or Loss of Balance

Feeling wobbly, unsteady, or like the room is spinning.

Happens without vertigo triggers (like inner ear issues).

Often paired with difficulty walking.

3. Vision Changes in One or Both Eyes

Blurred vision

Double vision

Sudden loss of vision (even briefly)

Can affect one eye or both

📌 May signal blocked blood flow to the optic nerve or visual cortex.

4. Numbness or Tingling in Face, Arm, or Leg

Often on one side of the body

Comes on suddenly or builds over days

May feel like pins and needles or complete loss of sensation

5. Difficulty Speaking or Understanding Speech

Slurred speech

Trouble finding words

Confused thinking or inability to follow conversation

People may say, “You’re not making sense.”

6. Sudden Weakness in Limbs

Arm or leg feels heavy or hard to lift

Dropping things unexpectedly

Dragging one foot while walking

🚨 Classic sign: Try raising both arms — if one drifts down, it’s a red flag.

7. Confusion or Memory Lapses

Forgetting recent events

Getting lost in familiar places

Sudden mental fog

❗ Especially concerning if new or worsening in someone without dementia.

8. High Blood Pressure Spikes

Consistently high readings (140/90 mmHg or higher)

Sudden surges, even if temporary

Often called “the silent killer” — damages blood vessels over time

✅ Regular monitoring can catch this early.

9. Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) – Mini-Strokes

Symptoms mimic a full stroke but resolve within minutes to hours

May include:

Facial drooping

Arm weakness

Speech trouble

Mimics a “funny turn” or dizzy spell

🚨 Critical: A TIA is a medical emergency, not a false alarm.

10. Sleep Disturbances & Snoring (Signs of Sleep Apnea)

Loud snoring with pauses in breathing

Waking up gasping

Daytime fatigue despite long sleep

💤 Untreated sleep apnea doubles stroke risk due to low oxygen and high blood pressure.

🆘 When to Seek Immediate Help: The FAST Test

If symptoms occur suddenly, treat it as a stroke — call emergency services immediately.

Use FAST to check:

F

= Face

Ask person to smile. Does one side droop?

A

= Arms

Ask to raise both arms. Does one drift down?

S

= Speech

Ask to repeat a simple sentence. Is speech slurred or strange?

T

= Time

Call emergency services NOW

— every second matters

⏰ Clot-busting drugs must be given within 3–4.5 hours. Delay = more brain damage.

❤️ Final Thought: Your Body Speaks — Are You Listening?

You don’t have to wait for a crisis to act.

Many strokes are preventable.

Many lives are saved because someone paid attention to the whispers before the storm.

If you or a loved one experiences any of these signs, especially if they come and go:

See a doctor

Request a carotid ultrasound or heart rhythm check

Control blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar

Quit smoking, manage stress, stay active

Because preventing a stroke starts long before the first symptom.

It starts with awareness.

With action.

With caring enough to notice.