Knowing the Signs of a stroke can be lifesaving.
A stroke is a severe medical emergency that occurs when blood flow is deficient to an area of the brain or bleeding in the brain. This causes brain damage, with effects that may include weakness of one side of the body, vision changes, speech problems, loss of consciousness, and more.
Verywell Health’s recent article entitled “Everything You Should Know About Stroke,” says that early symptoms and signs of a stroke can include numbness, weakness, vision changes, and dizziness. Sometimes a person with a stroke might be unable to communicate, and other people around must call for emergency services.
There are many different signs and symptoms because a stroke can affect any area of the brain and cause symptoms corresponding to the damage’s location.
You can keep a few key features in mind, so you will know to call for help if you or someone else is experiencing the common signs of a stroke. A shortcut for recognizing stroke symptoms is “FAST “—face, arm, speech, time—as follows:
- Face: The face can be impacted by a stroke and look like a crooked face, a droopy eyelid, an uneven smile, drooling, or flattened folds on one side of the face.
- Arm: People with a stroke might have trouble moving one arm, hand, leg, or foot. The weak limb might be paralyzed entirely or drop as a person tries to lift it. Sometimes a person can feel a tingling sensation or pins and needles on one side of the body.
- Speech: Language and communication are often affected by a stroke, with slurred speech, difficulty using the right words, struggling to get the words out, or difficulty understanding what others are saying.
- Time: Immediate medical attention is critical. Any delay can increase the risk of death and disability from a stroke.
Women are more likely to have a stroke than men. One reason may be due to women’s longer life expectancy. Pregnancy, birth control pills, and postmenopausal hormone therapy are also factors that raise the risk.
The signs of a stroke are usually the same for people of any sex. However, women may be more likely to have subtle stroke signs. Subtle signs of a stroke include fatigue, light-headedness, and nausea.
Give your Executor a Primer on Basic Knowledge to Prepare Them
We have a Zoom online training session on “What to Tell Your Executor” on Thursday, April 20, at 6:00 pm. They may find that introduction helpful.
To register, you can click here.
Reference: Verywell Health (Feb. 27, 2023) “Everything You Should Know About Stroke”
