Model Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) has confirmed that she was hospitalized last week after experiencing stroke-like symptoms due to a blood clot in her brain. TMZ first reported on Saturday morning that the 25-year-old was admitted to a hospital last Thursday after a medical emergency that reportedly affected her movement. Hailey took to Instagram on Saturday to confirm the details: “On Thursday morning, I was sitting at breakfast with my husband when I started having stroke-like symptoms and was taken to the hospital,” she said in an Instagram story. She went on to explain that a blood clot had caused the stroke-like symptoms. “They found I had suffered a very small blood clot to my brain, which caused a small lack of oxygen, but my body had passed it on its own and I recovered completely within a few hours,” she said. Hailey thanked her friends and fans for their support, as well as the medical staff, noting that it was one of the “scariest moments” of her life.
The cause of Hailey’s frightening health episode isn’t yet public. What is public, however, is that last month her husband, Justin Bieber, tested positive for COVID-19. According to People, Justin developed COVID in February and wound up rescheduling the Las Vegas stop on his Justice World Tour because of it. “Due to positive COVID results within the Justice Tour family, we will, unfortunately, have to postpone Sunday’s show in Las Vegas. Bieber is, of course, hugely disappointed, but the health and safety of his crew and fans is always his number one priority,” a Twitter statement read.
Because of Justin’s COVID-19 case, a lot of people are wondering if Hailey’s health emergency was due to it as well. It hasn’t been reported whether Hailey tested positive for COVID-19, too, or what exactly may have contributed to her blood clot. There are lots of potential risk factors for blood clots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These can include getting injured, sitting for hours at a time, having recently had surgery, being on combined hormonal birth control, and more. But COVID-19 has emerged as another potential blood clot risk factor. According to the Mayo Clinic, COVID-19 can cause blood cells to “clump up” and develop into clots. While Hailey’s blood clot affected her brain, blood clots can also affect parts of the body like the heart, lungs, legs, liver, and kidneys, with symptoms potentially presenting differently based on the exact body systems and organs involved. When a clot forms deep in a vein, for instance, it’s called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is most likely to impact body parts like the legs, per the CDC, where it can cause symptoms like swelling, pain, and tenderness.
Sometimes blood clots can resolve on their own without causing harm. But smaller clots may cause damage in the way they block blood capillaries, the small, thin blood vessels that link the arteries and veins. And large clots can, in the most severe cases, lead to health emergencies like heart attacks and strokes.
While the nuances of Hailey’s exact health incident aren’t clear, it’s always good to know the signs of a serious health issue like a stroke. Symptoms to look out for include numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg (particularly concentrated on one side of the body), difficulties speaking or comprehending speech, trouble seeing, difficulties walking or coordinating, or a severe headache, the CDC explains. According to the American Stroke Association, one of the best ways to identify a stroke ASAP is to use the FAST acronym:
- (F) Face drooping: Is one side of the face drooping or numb, or is the smile uneven?
- (A) Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? When the arms are raised, does one drift down?
- (S) Speech difficulties: Is speech slurred in any way?
- (T) Time: If you notice any of these issues, it’s time to phone 911.
People are more likely to respond to stroke treatment if they’re diagnosed within three hours of developing symptoms, the CDC says, so getting help at the first sign of trouble is of the essence. And while there are actually “stroke mimics,” or other conditions that have similar symptoms—such as epilepsy and various infections—even in those cases, prompt medical attention can help demystify what really may be at play and point to the best treatment possible.
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