Silent stroke: you can have it without noticing — how to recognize it by small signs

Stroke is usually associated with sudden loss of speech, paralysis, severe headache. But there is another type - the so-called silent stroke. It can occur unnoticed, without pronounced symptoms, but leaves a trace in the brain and increases the risk of a repeated stroke.

A silent stroke is a circulatory disorder in a small area of the brain. It can happen when a small vessel becomes blocked or ruptures. The body copes with the consequences on its own, so a person often doesn't even suspect that something has happened to them.

The first alarming signal may be sudden forgetfulness. A person starts to lose the thread of conversation more often, forgets simple words, confuses dates. Especially if there were no such problems before. This is not always age-related, sometimes it's a trace of a mini-stroke.

Movements can change. Unnoticed by the person themselves, slight clumsiness appears, unsteadiness when walking, decreased coordination. Ordinary actions - buttoning buttons, tying shoelaces - become more difficult, but this is not given importance.

Another possible sign is a short-term vision disturbance. For example, sudden "fogging" in one eye, flashes or darkening that quickly passes. This may be related to disruption of blood supply to the visual areas of the brain.

Changes in mood and behavior should also alert you. Irritability, apathy, and sleep disturbances appear without an apparent reason. Sometimes this is accompanied by a sudden decrease in performance and fatigue.

All these symptoms may be temporary and passing, but this is what makes a silent stroke dangerous. Its consequences accumulate. Even one such episode increases the risk of a more severe stroke in the future, with noticeable impairments.

If you notice uncharacteristic changes in yourself or loved ones - it's better to get an MRI and check the blood vessels of the brain. Early diagnosis can prevent serious complications. The body rarely stays silent without reason, especially when it comes to the brain.