Some of the most common stroke mimics are seizures, migraine, fainting, serious infections and functional neurological disorder (FND). Once the person is diagnosed, they can have treatment or support to manage their symptoms.
In many cases, the patient's mild, non-specific symptoms, such as a headache, vertigo, or inability to answer questions correctly, prompt a different diagnosis. In others, conditions mimicking the symptoms of a stroke, such as slurred speech or numbness of the face, arm, or leg, are mischaracterized.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary period of symptoms similar to those of a stroke. A TIA usually lasts only a few minutes and doesn't cause permanent damage. Often called a ministroke, a TIA may be a warning.
There are several conditions that can cause symptoms similar to a stroke, known as stroke mimics. A seizure, high blood pressure and even migraine headaches can cause sudden numbness or weakness. Summa Health sheds light on 7 common stroke mimics and what symptoms to watch for so you can act fast to identify the cause.
Computerised tomography angiogram demonstrating dissection at the origin of the right internal carotid artery. Although stroke can be mistaken for a peripheral nerve or root lesion, the most common conditions for which stroke is mistaken are delirium, syncope, hypertensive emergencies or systemic infection.
MRIs are also more accurate than CT scans since they are far more sensitive. They show all issues related to a stroke and any other diseases or concerning factors within the brain. MRIs are excellent at detecting even tiny abnormalities, which are often too small to be clearly seen in a CT scan.
Tests will be done to rule out a stroke or other disorders that may cause the symptoms: You will likely have a head CT scan or brain MRI. A stroke may show changes on these tests, but TIAs will not. You may have an angiogram, CT angiogram, or MR angiogram to see which blood vessel is blocked or bleeding.
In moyamoya disease, arteries to your brain become narrow and may even close, leading to reduced delivery of oxygen-rich blood to your brain. This lack of blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke and other symptoms.
Yes, you can have a stroke and not know it. A stroke's effects can be undetectable if the stroke is small or if the tissue damaged does not serve a critical function. Evidence of the stroke would show on a CT scan or an MRI of the brain, but it might not produce symptoms.
Strokes may not be seen on a CT scan for several reasons. It can sometimes take several hours for the brain to appear abnormal after the onset of stroke. The affected region may also be a part of the brain that CT scans do not image well, such as the cerebellum or the brainstem.
An MRI can also detect old strokes for decades after they happen. The fastest type of MRI is diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). It measures shifts in fluid in the brain and can detect a stroke soon after its onset. An MRI can also detect evidence of past strokes.
Introduction: An infarct on brain MRI is often seen as gold standard when diagnosing ischemic stroke. Although MRI has high sensitivity in detecting a lesion shortly after ischemic stroke, this rapidly declines when time progresses.
If a stroke is suspected, a CT scan is usually able to show whether you have had an ischaemic stroke or a haemorrhagic stroke. It's generally quicker than an MRI scan and can mean you're able to receive appropriate treatment sooner.
But the symptoms of anxiety are very real, and many of them resemble a stroke-like experience, for example: Difficulty thinking or formulating thoughts. Feeling like limbs or muscles cannot move. Blurry vision or dizziness.
Gliomas, meningiomas and hypophyseal adenomas are among the commonest primary tumors that may mimic a stroke. Metastatic lesions of the brain may have a similar presentation. Primary tumours which most frequently metastasize in the brain include lungs, breast, alimentary canal, kidneys and skin melanomas1.
What is Pre-Stroke? Sometimes, there is a smaller, temporary clot that is quickly resolved, though the symptoms will be similar thanks to the effect such clots have on the brain. This is known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or “Pre-Stroke,” and often points to a more life-threatening attack on its way.
Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke. One study found that 43% of stroke patients experienced mini-stroke symptoms up to a week before they had a major stroke.
Usually, a silent stroke is discovered unexpectedly on a brain CT or brain MRI. These imaging tests can easily distinguish past strokes from recent strokes.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare neurological disorder in which your immune system mistakenly attacks part of the peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord.
Psychogenic pseudostroke (PS) is when symptoms are suggestive of a stroke, but in reality, of psychogenic origin. Most neurologists have encountered a case of such nature.
In various studies, the most common stroke mimics include brain tumors (gliomas, meningiomas, and adenomas are the most common ones) (4), toxic or metabolic disorders (such as hypoglycemia, hypercalcemia, hyponatremia, uremia, hepatic encephalopathy, hyperthyroidism, thyroid storm (4-6), infectious disorders (e.g. ...
These brief episodes are transient ischemic attacks (TIA), sometimes called “mini-strokes.” They still should be taken seriously, because they tend to be signs of underlying serious conditions that can lead to a full stroke, even possibly in the few days following a TIA event if not evaluated and treated for a TIA.
Our study has revealed that according to neurologists, the most consistent predictors for a diagnosis of TIA include negative symptoms (loss of motor, sensory, or visual function) and speech disturbance.
For a stroke, quick medical care can minimize brain damage and reduce the risk of lasting impairments. “The initial symptoms of stroke and TIA are indistinguishable. If you suspect that you or someone that you know is having a stroke or TIA, go to the hospital immediately, even if the symptoms are minor,” Streib said.