Who Is at Risk for Atypical Symptoms?
While anyone can experience these lesser-known signs of stroke, research suggests women are more likely to experience atypical symptoms.
According to a research review of more than 580,000 people, women were more likely to experience headaches, changes in mental status, and vertigo than men. Other research has found that women are more likely to have nonspecific symptoms like nausea and hiccups. These differences can be dangerous, since people whose strokes go undiagnosed may not receive immediate treatment, say the researchers.
Adults under the age of 50 may also be susceptible to a condition called vertebral artery dissection, a leading cause of stroke in young people that’s caused by a tear in the inner wall of the vertebral artery. It can result from major physical trauma like a car accident or minor trauma from intense coughing, sudden neck movements, or heavy lifting. Carotid artery dissection, or a tear in the layers of one or more of the carotid arteries in the neck, can also cause a stroke.
People with vertebral artery dissection may develop nausea, imbalance, headache, and vision changes, says Rhee. Pain that appears on one side of the neck is another sign of a dissection.
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