QUEEN guitarist Brian May has recently disclosed that he experienced a minor stroke.

The 77-year-old rock icon initially found himself unable to use his left arm following the episode, but he has since regained enough movement to resume playing music.

“The good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days,” he shared in a video posted earlier today (Wednesday, September 4) on his website. “I say this because it was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago, and what they called it was a minor stroke. All of a sudden — out of the blue — I didn’t have any control over this arm. So it was a little scary, I have to say.”

May was swiftly transported to Frimley Park Hospital in Camberley, Surrey, where he received “the most fantastic care and attention; blue lights flashing the lot, very exciting.”

He added that he had chosen not to publicize his minor stroke at the time because “I didn’t want anything surrounding it. I really don’t want sympathy. Please don’t do that, because it’ll clutter up my inbox, and I hate that. The good news is I’m okay. I’m just doing what I’m told, which is basically nothing. I’m grounded, I’m not allowed to go out, drive, get on a plane, I’m not allowed to raise the heart rate too high. But I am good.”

This stroke follows a “small” heart attack May suffered four years ago. He had been shocked to learn that his health was not as robust as he believed and was “very near death.” At that time, he discovered that three of his arteries were “congested and in danger of blocking the supply of blood to my heart,” leading to surgery to insert three stents — tiny tubes designed to keep blocked arteries open.