Symptoms of cerebellar stroke may include dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting, tremors, and coordination problems.
Because the symptoms can be vague, cerebellar stroke symptoms can be easily confused with symptoms of other conditions.
Long-term effects may include trouble walking, double vision, and speech problems.
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What Is the Cerebellum?
The cerebellum is a specific area located in the lower-back part of the brain.
It has both a right and left side (hemisphere), each of which is identical in appearance.
The cerebellum controls balance, voluntary movements, eye movements, and more.
Each hemisphere controls the coordination of the side of the body that it’s on.
What Causes a Cerebellar Stroke?
A blood clot, bleeding, or trauma to any of these blood vessels can cause a cerebellar stroke.
A cerebellar stroke typically involves only one of the two sides of the cerebellum.
Some people have trouble eating, swallowing, and doing self-care activities.Some people can experience long-term deficits.
Complications may include:
Swelling of the brain is also a potential complication.
How Serious Is a Cerebellar Stroke?
A cerebellar stroke can be life-threatening.
If a cerebellar stroke is not fatal, it can still lead to significant disability.
How Is a Cerebellar Stroke Diagnosed?
A brain MRI can look at the cerebellum more clearly, and is considered the gold standard.
All of these factors contribute to the difficulty of diagnosing a cerebellar stroke.
This can make cerebellar strokes life-threatening or lead to long-term disability.
Some people recover fully, while others have long-term or lifelong disabilities.
Summary
The symptoms of a cerebellar stroke can be vague.
It’s not uncommon for a cerebellar stroke to be diagnosed as another condition.
Cerebellar strokes are rare but they share symptoms with more common conditions likemigraines.
Getting an accurate and timely diagnosis is important if you have a cerebellar stroke.
With time and treatment, many people can recover from a cerebellar stroke.
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