Many seniors experience an unsteady gait or dizziness upon rising in the morning along with issues like difficulty comprehending or sudden weakness. This neurological occurrence, termed a ‘wake-up stroke', involves stroke signs emerging as one awakens or during the day “without prior deficits noticed before sleeping”.
Symptoms of a wake-up stroke mirror common stroke indications like problems communicating, confusion, facial drooping or weakness on one side, numbness/weakness in limbs, severe headaches according to neurologists. Location of the blockage inside the brain determines severity of signs.
Additional red flags can be unilateral body weakness, vision issues, high blood pressure/cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and obesity – known to boost stroke risk. Immediate medical care is crucial if any symptoms surface as prompt intervention may curtail further harm.
Causes align with regular strokes and include blood clots, hypertension, atherosclerosis and underlying diseases. Older age, pre-existing cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disorders increase chances of wake-up strokes. Around 1 in 5 strokes occur during or right after wakefulness as per experts.
If suspected, imaging tests like CT/MRI identify brain damage's extent. Given symptom onset uncertainty, specialized MRI sequences assess stroke timing which influences therapy choices.
Speedy hospitalization within 4.5 hours of symptoms permits thrombolysis or thrombectomy provided no contradictions, restoring cerebral blood flow. Managing complications conservatively also aids recovery. Medications to dissolve clots plus revascularization procedures retrieve neurological function, while rehabilitation therapies help regain abilities post-stroke.
Adopting healthier lifestyles and treating current illnesses can lower odds of future wake-up strokes.
