I've always had frequent headaches which I've attributed to stress and/or sinus infections. One day I began having head and neck aches of a different type.
My vertebral artery dissection occurred on the left side. Beginning four months prior to and sporadically until my stroke, the back left side of my neck and head hurt terribly, almost daily. I took any number of over-the-counter medications to combat the pain but it was usually back again the next day. I simply chalked it up to stress and decided I should see a massage therapist; never saw one, though.
I had three or four scary occasions prior to the stroke that were indicative of vertebral artery dissection (one involved trying not to do a face plant in a parking garage on day two of a new job). Each time I felt progressively dizzy with gradually impaired walking ability; more so stumbling. Self-diagnosis (shame on me!) revealed I had occasional but severe vertigo. I saw my general practitioner but was told he could not definitively say why I was having vertigo. Tests of my heart and whatnot were normal. So, as these dizzying occasions were rare, on my merry way I went until 3am morning day of the stroke (yes it was a VERY rude awakening - pun intended).
Nine months later and I'm still wondering if there was anything I could have done to prevent the stroke.
That sounds very scary! Did you know you already had the artery dissection before the stroke?
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