Queen guitarist Brian May has suffered a mild stroke

Brian Mayhistoric guitarist of Queen and close friend of Freddie Mercury, recently revealed in an Instagram video that he suffered a mini-stroke that temporarily impaired the use of his left armand in particular of the left hand, making it impossible for him to play. “It all happened so suddenly and I have to admit it was quite scary.”Brian May confessed in the clip.

The 77-year-old English guitarist then reassured his fans, letting it be known that he is recovering and that to his great happiness he has started playing the guitar again. The revelation comes after the broadcast of his documentary Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Mewhich addresses the controversy over badger culling in Britain (May fights for animal rights causes).

Mini-stroke like Brian May: how it happens and why

A mild stroke like the one that involved Brian May actually happens at any moment. But what are the symptoms of a mini-stroke? A mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when blood flow to the brain is temporarily cut offcausing symptoms similar to those of a full-blown stroke, but of short duration. The most common symptoms include temporary loss of vision, weakness or paralysis on one side of the bodydifficulty speaking or confusion, and may last only a few minutes or a few hours, but without causing permanent damage. The main causes of a mild stroke include the formation of blood clotsplaque in the arteries (atherosclerosis), or heart conditions that temporarily cut off blood flow to the brain. Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, smoking, diabetes, obesity and lack of physical activity. After a mild stroke episode it turns out essential to improve lifestyle and treat any underlying health conditions to prevent further (and more serious) stroke events.

SCIENTIFIC SOURCES USED FOR THIS ARTICLE:
– Cleveland Clinic