It isn't uncommon for people to use their smartphone's front camera as a mirror. In this case, Taylor Becker recorded a selfie video while experiencing facial numbness.
The footage shared to TikTok (@taybeckerdaily), shows the mom-of-three attempting to smile multiple times but only one corner of her mouth rises. The post is captioned: "When you think you're having a stroke in the middle of lunch with your two kids and you're trying not to panic or scare them."
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The 33-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, told Newsweek that she has been dealing with drooping and numbness on one side of her body since April 2023. So far, the video described as "very weird and very scary" in the caption has 8.1 million views.
"At first, I was misdiagnosed with anxiety, but I have since found a great neurologist who has diagnosed me with something called hemiplegic migraines, which result in a range of symptoms, one being numbness on one side of the body," Becker said.
This rare type of migraine is indeed similar to a stroke, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Hemiplegic migraines are characterized by temporary weakness on one side of the body, accompanied by a headache and typical migraine aura symptoms such as visual, speech, or sensory changes.
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Hemiplegic migraines also present symptoms similar to seizures or other serious neurological conditions, so it is crucial to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
"I wanted to make the video because I had never heard of the symptoms before it started happening to me," Becker, a content creator, said.
"I wanted to see if other people had a reaction or had ever experienced them before and was truly surprised when my comment section was full of other people experiencing the same thing.
"The video is a sign for people, especially women, to get a second opinion and fight for their health!"
TikTok Reacts
At the time of writing, the video has over 348,000 likes and more than 2,000 comments, many from people sharing similar experiences.
Migraines are a common disorder affecting 15 to 20 percent of the population, while hemiplegic migraines are rare, with a reported prevalence of 0.01 percent, according to a study published by the National Institutes of Health last year.
"I was diagnosed last September, my whole left side went numb. Scariest thing that ever happened to me," one TikTok user shared in the comments.
"I had a hemiplegic migraine and lost function of my whole right side. Scariest thing I've ever been through! Prayers mama!" said another commenter
A third commenter wrote: "This is literally my worst nightmare."
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