10, March 2025

Stroke in Women: Warning Signs, Causes & Life-Saving Treatments

Women are more likely than men to experience signs of stroke, such as nausea, vomiting, seizures, hiccups, difficulty breathing, and abrupt fatigue. If someone has a stroke, act quickly and seek medical help right away. Women have a greater lifetime risk of stroke, even though men are more likely to experience one. Strokes are also more likely to result in fatalities in women.

Females tend to live longer than males, which contributes significantly to their increased lifetime risk. However, women also have certain risk factors, such as using birth control and getting pregnant. The more you understand about stroke symptoms in women, the more prepared you will be to seek assistance. Getting medical care promptly can make the difference between recovery and impairment.

What is Stroke?

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when there is insufficient blood flow to the brain. Strokes can be caused by bleeding in the brain or a clogged blood vessel. Strokes are sometimes referred to as brain attacks or cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) by medical professionals.

What are the Symptoms of Stroke in Women?

Both men and women have many of the same stroke symptoms. Typical signs of a stroke include:

Sudden numbness or weakening of your face and limbs, usually on one side of your body (hemiparesis)
Sudden troubled vision in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble in comprehending or communicating
An intense headache that has no apparent reason
Sudden lightheadedness
Trouble in walking,
Impaired balance or coordination

Women may experience symptoms that are not often linked to strokes in men. These are:

Nausea
Vomiting
Hiccups
Seizures
Shortness of breath
Fainting or loss of consciousness
Pain
General weakness

These symptoms may be difficult to instantly link to stroke since they are general in nature, meaning they might indicate another disorder. Treatment may be postponed, which might make recovery more difficult.

What is Act FAST Technique?

A simple method for recognising stroke symptoms, suggested by the American Stroke Association, is Act FAST. You should take immediate action if you suspect that you or someone around is experiencing a stroke. These are those warning signs of stroke:

Face: Drooping of FACE on smiling
Arms: Inability to raise both the ARMS equally
Speech: Slurred SPEECH
Time: Call for emergency medical assistance right at that TIME if you notice such symptoms

When it comes to strokes, every minute matters. The longer you wait to contact emergency assistance, the more probable the stroke may cause brain damage or disability.

What are the Causes of Stroke in Women?

Strokes can be ischaemic (due to blockage of blood vessels) or hemorrhagic (due to abnormal bleeding). The most frequent form of stroke is ischaemic, which occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to your brain. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a burst or leaky blood vessel in the brain.

As per studies, females are more likely to suffer an ischaemic stroke before the age of 30 and again beyond the age of 85. Males are more likely to have a hemorrhagic stroke, but females are more likely to suffer subarachnoid haemorrhage, a particular subtype of stroke.

What are the Risk Factors of Stroke in Women?

Experts believe that 82% to 90% of all strokes, regardless of type, are caused by modifiable risk factors like:

High blood pressure
Physical inactivity
Obesity
Smoking
Unhealthy diet

According to research, certain risk factors, such as hypertension and obesity, have a bigger impact on the risk of stroke in women. However, there are risk factors that are unique to females, including:

Pregnancy
Use of hormonal birth control
Preeclampsia
Hormone therapy
Migraine with aura
Atrial fibrillation (common in females over age 75 years)

Strokes can be deadly and result in lasting impairments. However, there is no universally applicable recovery schedule or outlook. Ischaemic strokes often have better results than hemorrhagic strokes, but it does not indicate your recovery will be simpler, faster, or better.

Read Also: Understanding Ischemic Stroke

Tips to Prevent Stroke in Women

Every year, stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer. That is why it is critical to stay diligent about your health. Experts propose the following to help you in preventing future strokes:

Having a balanced diet
Maintaining a healthy bodyweight
Regular exercising
Quitting smoking

Females should take additional measures due to their particular risk concerns. This means:

Monitor your blood pressure during and after pregnancy
Get screened for AFib if you’re over 75 years old
Get screened for high blood pressure before starting birth control

Visit your doctor for an annual check-up as advised. Many of the health disorders and concerns that can lead to stroke develop and worsen over time may not manifest as visible symptoms. Many persons with high blood pressure do not feel or notice anything wrong. Your doctor will support you in identifying and managing any warning signals that may raise your risk of having a stroke in the future.

Stroke Rehabilitation Modalities At Walk Again

We continuously incorporate cutting-edge technologies from around the world into our offerings, such as a surgical system that allows for precise and confident complex procedures. We use magnetic stimulation to treat certain neurological conditions and create personalised brain maps for tailored treatment plans. Nerve monitoring during surgeries ensures the nervous system is not compromised, and a robotic exoskeleton aids in mobility issues. Our goal at IBS Hospital is to provide the best care possible, utilising the latest and most innovative technologies available.
We provide following rehabilitation therapies to help the patients recover maximally from stroke:

Cyberdyne Technology
HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb)
Tymo
Pablo
Vibramoov
Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy

Conclusion

You understand your body better than anybody, and you can tell when something is wrong or doesn't feel right. A stroke is a medical emergency. If you believe you are experiencing a stroke, call for help straight away. Getting detected and treated as soon as possible maximises your chances of survival and recovery.

A stroke may be a sudden and life-altering incidence. Recovery is hard work, but it is rewarding. Don't forget to pause and appreciate how far you've gone. Celebrate your accomplishments – each milestone represents a significant step forward in your rehabilitation.

Know about the warning signs, causes, and life-saving treatments for stroke in women from our expert neurologists IBS Hospital. Book your consultation today!

FAQs

Q1: Are stroke symptoms different in women?
A: Yes, women may experience unique symptoms like nausea, fainting, hiccups, and shortness of breath, along with common stroke signs.

Q2: What causes a stroke in women?
A: Strokes occur due to blocked or ruptured blood vessels, with pregnancy, birth control pills, and migraines increasing the risk.

Q3: What are the major risk factors for stroke in women?
A: High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and heart disease are major risk factors, along with hormonal and pregnancy-related factors.

By -Dr Aaksha Shukla | March 10, 2025 | 9 Min Read