What Does a Stroke Look Like?

The most common symptoms of stroke, including facial drooping, arm or leg numbness or weakness, and speech difficulties, are actually very similar to those of other medical conditions.

Strokes occur when the blood supply to any region of the brain is interrupted or reduced. They can cause brain damage in the form of long-lasting physical handicaps and difficulty with communication and thinking.

However, there are other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of a stroke. If you suspect a stroke or are experiencing any stroke-like symptoms, it's important to seek emergency medical help.

This article explains common and rare signs of a stroke and explains conditions that may look like a stroke.

Emergency Signs of a Stroke

The acronym FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time) is commonly used to help persons recognize and detect the early signs of a stroke.

Facial Drooping

Facial drooping (or weakness) can be a very concerning symptom, as it is one of the hallmark signs of a stroke. If you or someone else has facial drooping or facial numbness, it is important to get urgent medical attention right away.

Arm Weakness

Sudden weakness or numbness in only one arm or shoulder is a common sign of stroke. The muscles may become limp and feel heavy. When lifting both arms at the same time, the affected arm may drift downward.

Speech Difficulty

Someone experiencing a stroke may suddenly have trouble speaking. Their speech may be slurred or they may have difficulty repeating a simple sentence.

Time To Call 911

If you suspect you or someone else is having a stroke call 911 immediately or rush to your nearest emergency room. The sooner a stroke can be diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome.

Other Stroke Symptoms

Stroke symptoms can vary from person to person. The following are other symptoms to look out for.

Numbness

It's possible to experience numbness on the face, arm, and leg (often on one side). This is caused by damage to the brain's sensory regions.

Confusion

Confusion is a common side effect of stroke. A stroke can affect memory, concentration, and other cognitive abilities.

Dizziness

Some types of stroke can cause dizziness or vertigo, a sensation of spinning. Dizziness symptoms may vary in severity and duration.

Vision Problems

Approximately two thirds of people experience vision problems after stroke. This may include:

• Visual field loss
• Trouble moving the eyes
• Visual processing problems
• Other problems, such as light sensitivity

Trouble With Balance and Walking

Because a stroke often causes weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, it can cause issues with balance and walking. Other symptoms like dizziness or vertigo may also affect balance.

Headache

A sudden and severe headache with no known cause may be other sign of stroke.

Medical Conditions That Look Like a Stroke

Seizures

Seizures are episodes of abnormal brain activity. Although most people are familiar with the type of seizures that cause unconsciousness and violent body shakes (grand mal seizures), there are other types of seizures that resemble strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Sometimes seizures do not involve shaking episodes or unconsciousness, but instead can produce less dramatic stroke-like symptoms, such as weakness in one arm or leg or lack of alertness.

There are a number of similarities and differences between a stroke and a seizure, and as such it could take your healthcare provider a little while to determine whether you suffered from a mild seizure or a stroke.

Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are painful, often debilitating headaches that affect a large percentage of the population. Most migraine headaches are characterized by pain in the head, neck, and shoulders.

Some types of migraines, however, are accompanied by symptoms that can be confused with TIA (mini-stroke), including temporary facial paralysis, vertigo, blurry vision, and weakness or numbness in the arms or legs. These similarities can make it difficult to distinguish migraine from a stroke.

Virus

The dizziness associated with a viral infection (like a stomach virus) can be the same level of dizziness one might feel as a result of a stroke. Because of this, it is important to seek medical attention if you experience sudden or persistent dizziness.

Due to the range of medical illnesses that can cause dizziness, it could take some time and testing before your healthcare provider is able to figure out the true cause of your dizziness.

Bell's Palsy

While it is often associated with stroke, sudden facial weakness can be the sign of a fairly common condition called​ Bell's Palsy. This condition usually just affects one side of the face.

Other symptoms of Bell's palsy may include:

• Twitching
• Paralysis
• Drooping eyelid or corner of the mouth
• Dry eye or mouth

The exact cause of this condition is unknown, though it's thought to be be linked to inflammation of the facial nerve. Bell's Palsy improves on its own, but you might need some medication to help you as you recover.

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Another condition, trigeminal neuralgia, characterized by excruciating facial pain, may also mimic a stroke. It causes extreme, sudden burning or shock-like pain, often on just one side of the face. The symptoms may come and go.

It's thought to be caused by a blood vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve. Tumors and multiple sclerosis may be other possible causes.

Neuropathy

Nerve tingling can be the sign of a stroke, but it also may be the sign of a condition called neuropathy, a condition involving damage or dysfunction of the nerves.

Health conditions that may cause neuropathy include diabetes, autoimmune disorders, vitamin deficiencies, trauma, drugs, and more. Other symptoms of neuropathy may include pain and numbness.

While stroke and neuropathy share some symptoms, it is important to know that a stroke is a medical emergency while neuropathy is not. The medical treatment for neuropathy is also completely different from that of a stroke and generally involves treating the underlying cause of nerve damage.

Summary

Emergency signs of a stroke may include facial drooping, weakness (usually on one side of the body), difficulty talking, and more. That said, not all neurological symptoms are an indication of serious disease, but if you do experience stroke-like symptoms it is important to seek medical attention right away.

In fact, even the most highly trained medical professionals will often spend time carefully evaluating your problem before concluding that it is not serious, because the consequences of a real neurological emergency can be quite significant.