Stroke has been one of the top leading causes of death in many countries around the world.
It can happen at any given age but the older a person, usually 65 years or older, is more likely at risk of experiencing a stroke.
Though many may prevent stroke by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, you must be prepared so that you may be able to distinguish stroke warning signs before they can worsen.
Importance of Spotting Stroke Warning Signs
They say that taking time in preparation is much better than suffering the consequences of failing to prepare. So even if you’re not at the age where you’re at a higher risk of getting a stroke, it is still crucial that you know how to spot warning signs of a stroke since it can also come in handy in situations where you can spot stroke warning signs from relatives, friends, or other people around you.
If you were to know some of the warning signs of stroke, this would become beneficial for you and those around you. Since stroke is one of the leading causes of death out there, knowing these warning signs will help you act accordingly and can result in the early treatment of the person suffering and may narrow down some long-term effects from ever happening.
Stroke Warning Signs You Should Know
A stroke occurs when there isn’t enough blood flowing into your brain.
Your blood carries oxygen throughout your body, brain included, which is essential for your body’s systems to function correctly. The irregular flow of blood may be caused by arterial thrombosis, also known as a blood clot, or maybe the blood vessel itself is damaged, preventing a considerate supply of blood to the body’s brain cells to function and survive.
Since time is a significant factor in the treatment of stroke, a test developed by the medical community called “F.A.S.T” is used by many to check on others or oneself some of the common symptoms of a stroke.
You may have heard about this FAST acronym many times before, but this is because it is the simplest way one can know the familiar warning signs of stroke.
Distinguishing if you or another person is suffering from a stroke needs a keen observation while being a quick thinker who can take proper action immediately.
If you discern that someone or yourself might be having a stroke, you should do this:
- F = Face – This includes making the person suspected of having a stroke smile. Observe if that person’s face has an irregular drooping on either side or if their smile shows an uneven look.
Due to a lack of oxygen flowing in the brain, some parts of the face experience numbness, a sign of having a stroke.
- A = Arm – This checks if there is a sign of weakness in the person’s arms. If one arm cannot be raised higher than the other side, it is an early warning sign that this person is having a stroke. Again, the lack of oxygen-carrying blood getting to the brain caused by blood clotting disables or weakens the command signal to lift the arm.
- S = Speech – This is to check if the person has speech difficulty. You may let the person try to follow a sentence or even a simple phrase. Properly observe if that person cannot repeat the given phrase or sentence. You can perceive that a person is suffering from a stroke if they have slurred speech. This is because the brain has trouble communicating properly with the person’s body. It is also due to the insufficient supply of oxygen-carrying blood in the brain.
- T = Time – This part refers to the most crucial factor in treating the early stages of having a stroke. It simply means that it’s time to call for emergency responders on the scene if the person having the F.A.S.T test showed the three previous signs and failed the test.
Remember, every minute counts when it comes to treating stroke. Having healthcare personnel on the scene right away reduces risks. It heightens the person’s survival rate because this medical personnel can better judge the situation and can already start treatment before even arriving at the hospital.
Although those presented above are the most common warning signs of stroke, other symptoms include: having trouble seeing properly because of sudden vision loss, a sudden severe headache, loss of balance due to dizziness, and feeling confused as if you’re unable to understand the things happening around you.
This is why being prepared, knowing, and spotting warning signs of stroke can alter the risk outcome of the person suffering from this typical medical emergency. Being treated as soon as possible is better because medical professionals can resupply the insufficient oxygen-carrying blood needed by your brain. Doctors may also advise you to undergo some surgery to remove the blood clot and restore proper blood flow.
They may also suggest joining some stroke clinical trials to assess the situation further and come up with other treatments afterward. If you or another person have these visible warning signs, seek help immediately because this can lessen some long-term effects caused by stroke.