Hi, I had what my doctor called a small stroke beginning of November, just my left side of my face went numb , no drooping or loss of sight or hearing, because the numbness has lasted she says it’s not a tia. Now I have developed a full feeling in my ears and tinnitus on that side and my voice has changed. Has anyone else had any symptoms like this as they keep saying the fullness in ears and noise and throat are not to do with the numbness? The noise is driving me crazy 
I had a ct scan on the day and was clear and an MRI 6 weeks later that showed nothing ! Has anyone one else just had numbness in face nothing else
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Hi @Janieb
Hello and welcome to the best club in town. Sorry you’ve had cause to join us. You’ll find the crew will be along soon to say hi they are a knowledgeable and empathetic bunch .
There’s a much quoted phrase that says every stroke is different. And that is both true and misleading. We all have a lot of common after effects. Although the combination of impacts is that unique part. So you’re asking as anybody had symptoms like you may or may not get a yes answer.
One thing that is common is that the aftershocks such as tinnitus and spasticity do keep on coming - I’m 3 years past and I think my tinnitus started about 18 months ago and has been louder the last week or 3. I don’t have a full feeling in my ear but I have a feeling that there is food between my gum and my cheek on my affected side constantly - who knows if it’s the same cause or anything parallel to what you are suffering? The one thing I think we can say is what you describe doesn’t sound surprising frowny face
The welcome post provides some commonly repeated messages. And some things the medical profession probably didn’t tell you but you should be aware of. The idea that it was a small stroke sounds right because as you say it hasn’t been temporary so by definition can’t be a TIA.
I would guess they therefore gave you the standard set of an antiplatelet, a statin, and a blood pressure regulator? Oh and probably also a stomach protector??
Keep reading and asking, celebrating your successes if you need a cathartic rant then this is place with a good ear
Best wishes on your journey post of stroke
Ciao
Simon
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@Janieb Hi & welcome to the forum. Often drs describe strokes as small but in my humble opinion all strokes are quite major events particularly as we are the ones dealing with the consequences.
Are they going to do any more tests to find out what’s going on as the scans were clear?
The tinnitus is quite common. Mine came on when I had my stroke. It drives me mad at times. The volume on mine increases when I have overdone it or have fatigue. I use an app on my phone to help manage it at points when it drives me mad. The app i use is GN Resound.
I had many strange sensations in my head initially. I’m not sure if i’d describe them as a fullness in the ears though. A referral to audiology / ENT may be appropriate?
I hope the numbness & other issues resolve for you.
Ann
Thanks for the reply’s , I went to an ENT but really just to check throat as was a smoker to make sure nothing nasty there, they weren’t really interested in my ears. I have been signed off the stroke clinic and feel I have just been left to get on with it, they have put me on statins and clopidogeril . They are not sending me for further tests but am going back to my GP and see if she will refer me privately to see an ENT just so you have more than a few minutes to go through everything and just check to see if anything else is going on other than the stroke. Do you know if i have to inform my car insurance? Also the stroke clinic put on my letter that is was LIKLEY an ischemtic stroke , do I take it that I have had one ? I’m confused and don’t seem to have anyone to ask. Sorry if the questions sound stupid and I know you can’t really answer them but just feel better putting it down on paper, I think my husband is fed up of me going on about it. It just makes you worried that every little head ache or numbness is a stroke coming !!
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Hi @Janieb
As the welcome post says it’s definitely normal to be scared and worried that an event will happen again. Having a reason for the previous stroke is nice But it’s a luxury afforded to only a few folk. I’ve never had any explanation but I have had confirmation that many of those times I went to the GP saying I felt funny were unrecognised strokes - silent strokes in the medical jargon apparently .
Have faith in your meds and keep taking them and avoid other obvious risk indicators is about as much as most of us have identified as strategies to keep ourselves safe 
This is definitely the place to ask questions. There’s normally two or three views and if you search normally 10 or 20 or 50+ previous discussions of a topic
I guess silent could be what is meant by minor?, if major is one is where we lose our functions such as arms, speaking, emotions, continence mobility, sensations etc. If you’re recent event has altered your muscle control - EG do you have difficulty swallowing? - that could indicate things that are changed which could affect your voice? Note I’m NOT medically trained.
You might have a better experience using private services but I wouldn’t necessarily dismiss the NHS if it can respond in sensible time scales. You’re likely to say see the same person either route just the NHS hours are less now because the staff are selling houts first privately where they can - Who can blame them but it is the evolutionary route to the demise of the NHS - of course the benefit of private is you can dismiss one and try another
Re the car insurance - If you have had a stroke that is a reportable condition as far as the DVLA are concerned and would expose you to finds and prosecution if you drove and had an accident and would probably invalidate your insurance. If your medical report says “likely to have been a TIA” that seems to me to be a grey area. I would report it to my insurance as a matter of 'avoidance of doubt’ - You should have been advised of your fitness to drive by your medical team. Given that it was in November if they felt it was a TIA they would have informed you you not to drive for a month, so you would be passed that limitation now. Obviously your choice what you do but I would enquire of my insurer and be pleasantly surprised if they said that “they did not need to know”
2¢
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@Janieb i would recommend asking your GP the question about whether you should assume you’ve had a stroke. It might not matter to tyem but it makes a difference to you & also to things like driving, travel insurance for example.
Here’s a link to a leaflet on driving after stroke. You are usually advised by the stroke team on any driving restrictions & whether it is reportable or not depends on your circumstances.
I wasn’t allowed to drive for 3 months so had to report to DVLA. However when i tried to report it before the 1 month point it wouldn’t let me. I also rang my insurance company but they said they didn’t need to know but again that varies by company. If you are in any doubt you should inform them as you wouldn’t want to find out you’re not insured if you had an accident.
The worry you are experiencing will hopefully ease in time.
Best wishes
Ann
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