How to Notice a Stroke

A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain is stopped or when a blood vessel bursts suddenly. This causes some brain cells to die immediately and others to be at risk, which is why immediate medical attention is necessary. The American Heart Association states that stroke is the third largest cause of death in the United States each year. It is also a leading cause of grave, long-term disabilities. But stroke is very preventable. Getting medical treatment within three hours of the onset of the stroke symptoms is vital in the recovery of the patient according to the americanheart.org website. Stroke can cause paralysis, loss of speech, memory loss and lack of motor control. We should all be aware of stroke symptoms, particularly if we are at high risk of having a stroke or it is present in our family history.

Instructions

• 1

  Look for signs of weakness or numbness, particularly in areas such as the face, legs, arms, or on just one side of the body.

• 2

  Be alert for visual disturbances such as blurring, seeing double, or loss of vision. These can occur in one eye only or both.

• 3

  Notice any loss of coordination or balance, dizziness and difficulty with walking according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Signs of stroke can be vague, but prompt medical attention is vital.

• 4

  Listen for slurred or jumbled speech patterns or confused sentence structure. Everyone stumbles over a word at one time or another, but stroke symptoms may cause this to linger over more than just a few words.

• 5

  Heed medical advice and always seek emergency treatment if the person has a sudden debilitating headache without any identifiable cause or any other stroke symptoms