When you have a stroke, your brain suddenly stops getting the blood and oxygen it needs. The most common cause is a blocked artery in your brain. Strokes also can be caused by bleeding in the brain, which not only disrupts normal blood flow, but also puts harmful pressure on brain tissues. In either kind of stroke, your brain cells can be damaged, potentially leading to disability or even death.
The earliest signs of stroke depend on which parts of your brain are affected and how bad the initial damage is. While one person might just feel a little weak on one side of the body, another might suddenly have trouble talking, walking, and seeing.
When you see the following warning signs of a stroke, in yourself or someone else, it’s important to get treatment right away. Every minute could make a difference how well someone recovers.
Identifying the Early Signs of a Stroke: The FAST Test
Because speedy recognition and action are so important when someone has a stroke, doctors have developed an easy-to-remember checklist for what to look for and what to do when someone shows possible warning signs.
It’s called the FAST test. You can use it to check for the most common symptoms of a stroke in yourself or someone else.
F is for Face: Smile and see if one side of the face droops. That’s a possible sign of muscle weakness or paralysis, which often show up on just one side of the body.
A is for Arms: Raise both arms. Does one arm drop down? That’s another sign of one-sided weakness.
S is for Speech: Say a short phrase and check for slurred or strange speech. A stroke can make it hard for you to talk clearly or choose your words.
T is for Time: If the answer to any of these is yes, call 911 right away. Remember to look at the time and write down when you first saw any of these stroke warning signs.
Some health educators add two more steps to the checklist, calling it BE FAST. “B” stands for balance: loss of balance is a possible stroke sign. “E” stands for eyes: Someone having a stroke may suddenly lose vision in one or both eyes or have blurry vision.
Don’t be tempted to drive yourself or someone else having a stroke to the hospital. Minutes matter in treating stroke. Calling a doctor or getting in the car wastes time. Ambulance workers can judge your situation sooner, and that boosts your chance of getting the treatment you need as soon as possible.
Other Warning Signs of a Stroke
Sometimes a stroke happens gradually, but you’re more likely to have one or more sudden symptoms. While the FAST or BE FAST tests can alert you to the most common symptoms, the full list also can include:
- Numbness, especially on one side
- Confusion or trouble understanding other people
- Dizziness
- Clumsiness or poor coordination
- Trouble walking
- Severe headache that comes on for no reason
- Loss or dimming of any of your senses, including smell and taste
- Neck stiffness
- Personality changes
- Seizures
- Memory loss
- Passing out
If you have these symptoms or see them in someone else, call 911 even if you’re not sure you’re having or seeing a stroke.
Credit: webmd.com
