Can A Silent Stroke Cause Early Dementia?
Article by Melissa Chow
Silent strokes are nearly four or five times more common than full blown strokes, and yet, many people have never heard of them. Often, however, they are an indication of underlying cardiovascular problems
A stroke is something that many older people are terrified of. Its effects are unpredictable. It can leave you partially paralyzed with a functioning brain, partially brain damaged with a functioning body, or somewhere in between. Regardless of how it affects you, if you have one, it is likely to have an enormous effect on your future life. But what about silent strokes – the type of stroke that about 1 in 10 people over the age of fifty have had without even realizing it. How does that affect you?
The primary dangers of a silent stroke are twofold – one immediate and one delayed. The primary danger is that a silent stroke will usually result in some damage to the brain. This is what accounts for the mysterious lapses in memory that many people experience following such an attack. This minor brain damage can also result in triggering the onset of dementia.
The more delayed danger is that, once you have had a silent stroke, your risk factor immediately goes up for a major stroke in the future. A good way of looking at it is as a warning shot across the bow.
What is a silent stroke exactly? You will often hear a silent stroke referred to as a mini stroke or a transient ischemic attack – also known as a TIA. But, in laymen’s terms, it is a stroke that is so lacking or minimal in physical manifestations that its diagnosis is often missed.
In fact, some experts dismiss the term claiming that such a stroke is not silent at all. It is simply overlooked because most people aren’t aware of the signs. For example, it might be a momentary loss of balance that is so brief that it goes unnoticed. Or it could be a blurring of vision that is easily dismissed as tiredness, excessive drinking, or something else. Or, maybe you have been experiencing a severe headache that lasts for a day but then goes away.
All of these are signs of a potential silent stroke. The problem is that they are also signs of other, less serious, problems. As a result, they are often dismissed or ignored. But, if you have experienced any of these signs, it is definitely something that you should not ignore. If diagnosed soon enough, in many cases, further damage can be avoided.
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