An experienced neurosurgeon has warned of the simple, everyday changes that may require you to visit a doctor.
Dr Carlos Seañez is a dual-specialty surgeon, specialising in neurosurgery and neurological endovascular therapy, with more than 2,500 procedures under his belt.
Based in Mexico, Carlos has racked up millions of views on the short video-sharing app, TikTok, for his helpful health tips with more than 50,000 following his account.
In one of his most popular videos, the neurosurgeon warns that easy-to-miss differences in how you speak, laugh or move could require medical attention or lead to a stroke.
“A neurosurgeon is responsible for the treatment and diagnosis of neurological and spinal diseases,” Carlos explained.
“We are known to operate on brains but we are also responsible for linking the symptoms of the nervous system to medical, surgical, or minimally invasive treatments.”
The clips have racked up close to 400,000 likes with Carlos’ followers often receiving advice on personal problems they may be facing.
One of the main issues Dr Seañez faces is convincing people they require medical health when they don’t notice, or play down, differences in their patterns.
“If you have sudden weakness or inability to do something as every day as speaking, hearing, or moving an arm, it’s time to see a specialist,” He cautioned.
The warning mirrors advice given by the NHS to spot when someone might be suffering from a stroke.
Research conducted by the University of Nottingham into strokes and how best to care for patients estimates that roughly 150,000 people in the UK suffer a stroke each year due either to a blocked or burst blood vessel.
Treatment for the afflictions includes endovascular therapy, which Dr Seañez specialises in.
“A neurosurgeon doesn’t just ‘operate on brains’,” Dr Seañez asserts, referring to the minimally invasive procedure performed inside the blood vessels.
“We treat everything from conditions such as brain aneurysms to more complex problems such as a cerebral tumour or herniated discs in the spine, those that cause terrible pain either in the waist or neck and radiate into the arms or legs causing a functional limitation in the way you feel or move those limbs.
“In endovascular therapy, we treat lesions specifically in blood vessels by means of catheters that go inside the arteries or veins to occlude an artery that has ruptured or unclog one that has been blocked by a clot.”
The NHS website lists the main symptoms of a stroke to look out for, which includes:
- Face weakness – one side of your face may droop (fall) and it might be hard to smile
- Arm weakness – you may not be able to fully lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in 1 arm
- Speech problems – you may slur your words or sound confused
You may already be aware of the health service’s FAST moniker for the signs, standing for: face, arms, speech and time to call 999.
Dr Seañez adds: “In short, if you have sudden weakness or inability to do something as every day as speaking, hearing, or moving one of the limbs, it’s time to see a neurosurgeon.
“We are here to help you.”
You can find more information and NHS advice on symptoms of stroke here.