Can a TIA Cause a Metal Taste in the Mouth?
Perhaps you’ve read that a stroke can cause a metal taste in the mouth, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that a TIA can leave a metal taste in your mouth, does it?
A TIA (transient ischemic attack) is a temporary stroke. Both a TIA and an ischemic stroke occur when a blood clot forms in a blood vessel in the brain.
The only difference between a TIA and a stroke is that the former dissolves, usually in just minutes, and the person’s symptoms disappear as quickly as they came on.
When people experience one of these “mini-strokes,” as they’re sometimes referred to, they will have a sudden-onset of one or more of the following symptoms:
• Paralysis on one side of the body
• One-sided numbness, tingling, heaviness and/or clumsiness
• The one-sided symptoms can occur to the face (e.g., one side of the mouth droops)
• Dizziness
• Vision problems: double, blurred, dimmed or what seems like a shade being pulled over one eye
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Unconsciousness is possible.
• Slurred speech
• Trouble forming words
• Trouble swallowing
• Difficulty understanding speech
• Cognitive impairment
If you’ve checked the TIA symptom lists from other reputable sites, you already know that “phantom metal taste” does not show up.
But does that mean it’s impossible for a transient ischemic attack to result in a brief perception of tasting metal?
“It is very unlikely that an isolated metallic taste would be associated with a TIA or stroke,” says Atif Zafar, MD, medical director of St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, and former director of the stroke program at University of New Mexico Hospital.
Dr. Zafar explains, “An insult to the pons or insula can be associated with altered taste, but these areas typically cause other symptoms like vision, balance or cognitive problems, along with altered taste or smell.
“Metallic tastes or a burning rubber smell can be associated with auras in patients with epilepsy.
“I have had various patients report smell or taste alteration before they went on to have a convulsive seizure.”
More on Stroke and Change in Taste
The permanent damage from a stroke can leave the patient with ongoing taste-related issues.
A TIA is actually a forerunner of a stroke; one-third of stroke victims had a previous transient ischemic attack.
And here’s a fair speculation: If a person suffers the sudden-onset symptoms of a TIA — such as suddenly one side of their face goes heavy and limp — and at that same time there’s a mechanism causing a metallic taste in their mouth — they may not be aware of this phantom taste.
Imagine that suddenly you can’t form words and one side of your face is paralyzed.
You’ll be focused (and terrified) over the paralysis and inability to form language — never mind how things inside your mouth taste.
However, a TIA can last a full hour, even a few hours, and during this time, it’s much easier to also then begin noticing that there’s an odd taste in the mouth.
Though “sudden-onset metallic taste” does not make the symptom lists for many major medical organizations, there is a very intriguing TIA symptom discription on the Mt. Sinai site.
The site says, “The symptoms of TIA are the same as the symptoms of a stroke, and include:”
And one of the bullet points is as follows:
Changes in the senses (such as hearing, vision, taste, and touch).
So there you have it: At a minimum, a TIA can cause “changes” in “taste.”
It’s logical to conclude that there’ve been patients who’ve described this taste as being like metal — but there’s no objective way to confirm this.
Steven Park, MD, an ear, nose and throat physician, explains every possible cause of a metal taste in the mouth.
Dr. Zafar is author of the book, “Why Doctors Need to Be Leaders.” His interests include vascular and endovascular neurology, and the neurosciences.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/spetenfia
Sources:
stroke.org.uk/what-stroke/common-problems-after-stroke/changes-taste-and-smell
upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/Documents/StrokeEducationforPatientsandFamilies.pdf
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/transient-ischemic-attack/basics/symptoms/con-20021291
clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/transient-ischemic-attack
Cause of Golden Yellow Poops
Is the cause of gold stools—a more golden color rather than straight yellow—different from the cause of a blander yellow type of poop?
What can be considered a “gold” stool might actually be a yellowish tan, or maybe even a very light brown.
The lighting in the bathroom stall will also influence how you see the color.
There’s really no such thing as a pure golden color for poops.
But if stools appear to be gold, they are probably what a doctor would consider to be yellow.
Yellow Stools: Cause for Worry?
“The color yellow is not concerning and can be affected by bile in the stool,” says Franjo Vladic, MD, a board certified gastroenterologist with Center for Digestive Health and Endoscopy Center in Ohio.
Dr. Vladic explains, “Color is hard to decipher, and pale or clay-colored (grey) stools can be interpreted as yellow, so it is worth bringing to the attention of a doctor who can determine whether further evaluation is merited.”
A good idea would be to collect your stools, next time they appear to be a golden yellow, and bring them into the office for your doctor to inspect.
Though this task will be unlike any that you’ve ever done, it’s a really important one to conduct, as follows:
Using a strainer that easily fits into the toilet bowl, carefully collect the BMs.
Allow the fluid to strain out, then place them in a plastic container, then tightly seal it.
The container should be refrigerated unless your doctor appointment is that same day.
Your doctor will be able to tell if your bowel movements ahave a yellow/gold tint or are actually more of a grey (which would be very concerning).
What can give a golden tint to your poops is the supplement turmeric or curcumin.
Some of the brilliant orange of this supplement will get passed and end up on stools.
When bile makes stools appear yellow, this is not a concern, as Dr. Vladic notes. Bile in stool is a normal process.
Colon Cancer
Colon cancer does not turn stools any shade that can pass as yellow or gold.
Colon cancer sometimes causes blood to get mixed with BMs, making them appear bloody, maroon or full of a black, tar-like substance (old blood).
You can do colon cancer screening at home with Cologuard — this is a simple stool collection kit that uses state-of-the-art DNA technology to identify cells that are abnormal in appearance.
If abnormal cells are detected, your doctor will likely recommend a colonoscopy for diagnosis.
Serious conditions can turn bowel movements a pale color, but do not confuse pale or beige with yellow or golden.
Dr. Vladic’s special interests include acid reflux, colitis, colon cancer, GERD, heartburn, IBS, liver disease, obesity, pancreatitis and peptic ulcer, among many others.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Left Arm Pain As an ONLY Symptom: Heart Related?
So you know that left arm pain with chest pain, nausea, sweating might mean a heart attack.
But what if your ONLY symptom is unexplained left arm pain?
First off, even when pain in the left arm is indeed accompanied by other concerning symptoms such as dizziness, cold clammy skin and/or shortness of breath, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a heart attack – though it is highly suggestive of serious heart disease.
Even more difficult to speculate on is the cause of new-onset pain in the left arm when that’s your only symptom—and there’s no reason to believe it’s from an injury.
“There is no surefire way to know if this is cardiac or not,” says Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan, MD, a cardiologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI.
Dr. Chinnaiyan is founder of Heal Your Heart, Free Your Soul, an online, yoga-based prevention program.
Only One Symptom: Pain in the Left Arm – And You Haven’t Fallen on It or Strained It During Exercise
What should you do?
Dr. Chinnaiyan continues, “If one has risk factors for heart disease (diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high stress and smoking, for instance), it is better to assume that it may be cardiac and get checked.
“Arm pain, tingling and numbness can also result from nerve compression in the upper part of the spine. Musculoskeletal problems can also cause these symptoms.”
Put Everything in Context
If you’re having left arm pain and no other symptoms, you need to put this in perspective.
• Did you recently bang the arm into a door frame?
• Did you recently fall on it during sport?
• Is it tender to the touch?
• Does it hurt more with certain movements? These first four issues point away from heart trouble and towards a musculoskeletal problem.
• Is its entire length very swollen? This can mean a blood clot in the neck.
• Does physical exertion that EXCLUDES the arm bring on the pain?
For example, it usually begins hurting when you run, walk up a flight of stairs, pedal a stationary bike, but subsides when you stop? (suspicious for heart trouble)
• Does the pain occur only when you’re at rest and doesn’t change with movement, and there’s no history of injury? (suspicious for heart trouble)
• Is the pain very short in duration (seconds) and has been coming and going throughout the day? (unlikely to be heart related)
• Has the discomfort been ongoing for weeks or even days? (unlikely to be heart related)
• Was the hurting present upon getting out of bed in the morning, suggesting that you slept on it funny?
• Is it aggravated with neck movement? This suggests a problem with the cervical vertebrae.
• Does shoulder movement aggravate it? Arthritis can cause this.
If you have risk factors for heart attack or even coronary artery disease, and you’ve been experiencing just one unexplained symptom lately—left arm pain—the first doctor you should see is a cardiologist.
Dr. Chinnaiyan has authored and co-authored 100+ manuscripts and abstracts. She has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association of Southeast Michigan.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Chest Pain Upon Waking, Gets Better Soon After
You should not rule out a heart problem if you keep awakening with chest pain that gets better soon afterwards.
It may seem odd that a heart problem would cause chest pain only in the morning, but this is no reason to shrug off this symptom. (more…)
Can Chest Pain with Burping Mean a Heart Problem?
If you have burping along with your chest pain, this definitely can mean something’s going on with your heart.
A visit to a cardiologist would be smart.
Angina Chest Pain with Burping
Angina is impaired blood flow to the heart caused by blockages in the coronary arteries.
When someone has an anginal episode, it can also come with dizziness, nausea and…burping.
“This has nothing to do with what’s going on inside the heart,” explains Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan, MD, a cardiologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI.
Dr. Chinnaiyan is founder of Heal Your Heart, Free Your Soul, an online, yoga-based prevention program.
“It has more to do with associated symptoms arising from irritation of surrounding structures such as the esophagus and diaphragm.”
In short, the heart doesn’t burp. Instead, the problem that’s occurring with the heart is affecting other structures that lead to burping.
When the Belching Occurs
Chest pain from stable angina occurs during physical exertion (which can be as innocuous as going up a staircase) and/or during anger.
If burping is tied to the anginal condition, it, too, will occur during these triggers.
This is not the burping that occurs after finishing a meal or gulping in air while drinking soda.
If burping, then, occurs only during physical exertion or angry emotions, and especially if it’s accompanied by chest pain, the first doctor you should see is a cardiologist.
The duo of belching with chest pain isn’t always caused by a heart problem, though.
But a strong suggestion that burping with chest pain is heart related is that these symptoms occur only during physical effort and/or intense anger – and they disappear when the trigger is removed.
How does a heart problem cause burping?
Impeded blood flow in the heart stimulates the vagal nerve, causing stomach distress, leading to gas formation.
Causes of Chest Pain with Burping that Are NOT Heart Related
1 Irritable bowel syndrome
2 Peptic ulcer
3 Acid reflux (GERD)
4 Hiatal hernia
5 Pancreatitis
You’ll notice with these other conditions that certainly, additional symptoms would be present that are not indicative of a heart problem.
For example, IBS comes with recurring diarrhea, constipation or both.
A hiatal hernia can come with bloody stools.
Pancreatitis comes with oily smelly stools that float, and weight loss.
If you’ve been experiencing undiagnosed chest pain that’s accompanied by burping…don’t ignore this.
Dr. Chinnaiyan has authored and co-authored 100+ manuscripts and abstracts. She has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association of Southeast Michigan.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Top image: Freepik/KamranAydinov
Sources:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074882/
newhealthadvisor.com/Burping-and-Chest-Pain.html
Chest Pain Only After Exercising, Not During?
If you’re having chest pain AFTER exercise, not during the activity, this may still be related to your heart.
The older you are, the more likely that any chest pain that’s associated with exercise is due to a heart problem. (more…)
TIA Headache vs. Ruptured Brain Aneurysm Headache
The problem with comparing a TIA headache with a ruptured brain aneurysm is if the sudden headache is a burst aneurysm, you don’t have minutes to wait around and see what happens. (more…)
Brain Mets vs. TIA: Symptom Comparison, Differences
How can one tell the difference between a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and brain metastases?
There’s an overlap of symptoms with a TIA and brain mets, but there’s also features of brain mets that would not be caused by a transient ischemic attack.
Symptoms of Metastases in the Brain (no particular order)
• Headache
• Nausea, vomiting
• Seizure, especially for the first time in someone over 35
• Trouble with neck flexion
• Sensitivity to light
• Cognitive problems
• Weakness on one side of the body
• Balance problems
• Back pain
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
Symptoms of a Transient Ischemic Attack (no particular order, all are sudden-onset)
• Weakness on one side of the body
• Paralysis on one side of the body
• Paralysis, numbness or weakness in the face
• Drooping on one side of the face
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty understanding speech
• Cognitive impairment or confusion
• Double vision
• Blindness in one eye or both
• Loss of balance, clumsiness
• Heavy feeling on one side of the body
• Dizziness
As you can see, there is some overlap with the symptoms of both conditions, and there are also some striking differences.
But it’s the overlaps that can bring out the panic. Both conditions are life-threatening, but it’s safe to assume that very few people would choose to have a brain metastasis over a transient ischemic attack.
The treatment for a TIA is usually a prescription blood thinner, namely Warfarin (coumadin), and this drug is highly effective at helping prevent another blood clot in the brain.
Brain Mets vs. TIA: the Most Striking Difference
The biggest difference between brain mets and a TIA is duration of the symptom or symptoms.
Duration of a TIA is usually minutes – with the average being about a minute — though a TIA can last an hour or more.
By definition a transient ischemic attack is transient—temporary. Some can last a mere 30 seconds. Every TIA symptom is sudden in onset. Boom! It’s there.
And by the way, the symptoms of brain mets are the same as those of a primary brain tumor.
Symptoms of brain metastases are not transient or short-lived because the tumor doesn’t suddenly appear (like a blood clot) and then dissolve minutes later.
The mass remains there and keeps growing, and can only be removed via surgery. Let’s look at the symptoms of brain mets in more detail.
Symptoms More Suggestive of Brain Mets than a TIA
• Morning headache
• Morning nausea and vomiting
• Gradual-onset cognitive problems which may include short-term memory impairment
• Headache together with a seizure (the two most common symptoms)
If you suspect you had a transient ischemic attack, this is a medical emergency and you should have someone drive you to the ER.
A TIA is a harbinger of a near-future stroke, and that near-future stroke could occur sooner than you think.
On the other hand, if you think your symptom/s were caused by a brain metastasis, get to the ER, because even though it may not seem like an immediately-urgent situation, you could have a seizure (if you already didn’t) – next time you’re driving.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Rawpixel.com
Sources:
emedicine.medscape.com/article/1157902-overview
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/transient-ischemic-attack/basics/symptoms/con-20021291
health.harvard.edu/stroke/dont-be-fooled-by-tia-symptoms
emedicine.medscape.com/article/1157902-clinical
abta.org/secure/metastatic-brain-tumor.pdf
strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/TypesofStroke/TIA/TIA-Transient-Ischemic-Attack_UCM_310942_Article.jsp#.WHiFylMrLxM
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The life expectancy after ALS diagnosis averages two to five years, but progression of the disease is not always predictive of life expectancy.
Progression of this fatal disease will vary from one patient to the next. (more…)
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