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Signs & Symptoms of an Embolic Stroke

An embolic stroke occurs when a blood clot or mass of blood cells called an embolus forms somewhere in your body, often your heart. The clot then breaks free and becomes trapped in one of the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your brain. The resulting reduction in blood flow to your brain causes oxygen depletion, which results in noticeable symptoms and a risk for permanent damage to brain tissues.

  1. Paralysis and Numbness

    • Numbness or paralysis is one of the common symptoms of a stroke. The sensation may feel like heaviness or weakness of one arm, one leg or your face. Often, the paralysis affects only one side of your body, reports the University of Washington Medical Center. If you are experiencing a stroke, one side of your mouth may droop if you are asked to smile, reports the National Stroke Association.

    Cognitive Impairment

    • You may become suddenly confused if you are suffering an embolic stroke, explains the University of Washington Medical Center. Most commonly, this confusion is noticeable as a lack of understanding or the inability to comprehend what others are saying.

    Vision Impairment

    • If the region of the brain responsible for vision is affected, you may experience a sudden loss of vision, explains Stanford University School of Medicine. Often, the blindness occurs only in one eye. Some stroke survivors describe the sensation as a dimming of vision rather than a complete loss.

    Language Impairment

    • The inability to communicate verbally is another common symptom of embolic stroke that occurs when an embolic stroke affects the language center of your brain. Some patients display aphasia, a condition where you are unable to think of the right words to express a thought, reports the Mayo Clinic. Slurred speech may also occur. During a stroke, you may not be able to repeat a simple sentence, according to the National Stroke Association

    Motor Impairment

    • Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination are all signs of an embolic stroke, reports Stanford University School of Medicine. Even if the stroke does not cause numbness or paralysis, you may experience difficulty controlling your muscles, making walking or other physical activities difficult. Upon holding both arms over your head, one arm begins to uncontrollably drift downward if you are having a stroke, according to the National Stroke Association.

    Headache

    • A sudden, severe headache is also a common sign of embolic stroke. The headache may wake you up from sleep, develop when you are lying down and worsen if you change positions or cough, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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