Terry Gilliam has made his mark on film over the years, having directed, written, acted and animated a series of successful film productions. Not to mention his seminal involvement in the British surreal comedy troupe The Monty Python. Terry made headlines for another reason back in 2017, however.
The director had a health scare that saw him hospitalised.
At the time, it was reported that Terry had been hospitalised due to a stroke.
In an interview with the Guardian a week later, Terry set the record straight.
He said: “It’s like I stubbed my toe. That hurt more, actually.
“It’s not actually a stroke; it’s something different with similar symptoms, a perforated medullary artery. I’m fine.”
What is a stroke?
A stroke is a serious life-threatening medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off.
According to the NHS, strokes are a medical emergency and urgent treatment is essential – the sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen.
“If you suspect that you or someone else is having a stroke, phone 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance,” advises the health body.
What should I be looking out for?
An essential way to identify whether someone is having a stroke is to use the FAST test.
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According to the Stroke Association (SA), this means:
- Face: Can the person smile? Has their face fallen on one side?
- Arms: Can the person raise both arms and keep them there?
- Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred?
- Time: If you see any of these three signs, it’s time to call 999.
The FAST test helps to spot the three most common symptoms of stroke, the SA explains.
It is important to note that there are other signs that you should always take seriously.
According to the SA, these include:
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, including legs, hands or feet.
- Difficulty finding words or speaking in clear sentences.
- Sudden blurred vision or loss of sight in one or both eyes.
- Sudden memory loss or confusion, and dizziness or a sudden fall.
- A sudden, severe headache.
Can I reduce my risk of a stroke?
Age is a major risk factor for having a stroke but there are risk factors you can control too.
Lowering your blood pressure is one way to reduce your risk of having a stroke.
“High blood pressure is the biggest contributor to the risk of stroke in both men and women,” according to Harvard Health.
You can lower your blood pressure by making simple lifestyle tweaks.
Harvard Health recommends the following:
- Reduce the salt in your diet, ideally to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day (about a half teaspoon).
- Increase polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in your diet, while avoiding foods high in saturated fats.
- Eat four to five cups of fruits and vegetables every day, one serving of fish two to three times a week, and several daily servings of whole grains and low-fat dairy.
- Get more exercise — at least 30 minutes of activity a day, and more, if possible.
- Quit smoking, if you smoke.
Another preventative measure is to manage any underlying conditions, according to the NHS.
The health body explains: “If you have been diagnosed with a condition known to increase your risk of stroke, ensuring the condition is well controlled is also important for helping prevent strokes.”
While the lifestyle changes mentioned above can help control these conditions to a large degree, you may also need to take regular medication, it notes.
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