10/07/2024
*What is a stroke?*
A stroke is a life-threatening condition that happens when part of your brain doesn’t have enough blood flow. This most commonly happens because of a blocked artery or bleeding in your brain. Without a steady supply of blood, the brain cells in that area start to die from a lack of oxygen.
To recognize the warning signs of a stroke, remember to think...
B. Be watchful for a sudden loss of balance.
E. Look out for sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. Are they experiencing double vision?
F. Ask the person to smile. Look for a droop on one or both sides of their face, which is a sign of muscle weakness or paralysis.
A. A person having a stroke often has muscle weakness on one side. Ask them to raise their arms. If they have one-sided weakness (and didn’t have it before), one arm will stay higher while the other will sag and drop downward.
S. Strokes often cause a person to lose their ability to speak. They might slur their speech or have trouble choosing the right words.
T. Time is critical, so don’t wait to get help! If possible, look at your watch or a clock and remember when symptoms start. Telling a healthcare provider when symptoms started can help the provider know what treatment options are best for you.
The symptoms of stroke can involve one or more of the following:
One-sided weakness or paralysis.
Aphasia (difficulty with or loss of speaking ability).
Slurred or garbled speaking (dysarthria).
Loss of muscle control on one side of your face.
Sudden loss — either partial or total — of one or more senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch).
Blurred or double vision (diplopia).
Loss of coordination or clumsiness (ataxia).
Dizziness or vertigo.
Nausea and vomiting.
Neck stiffness.
Emotional instability and personality changes.
Confusion or agitation.
Seizures.
Memory loss (amnesia).
Headaches (usually sudden and severe).
Passing out or fainting.
Coma.
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) — some
