In the U.S, nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke every year, it is the cause of one in every 20 deaths.
Strokes can happen fast and if you’re alone or not around people who are aware of the warning signs a delay in treatment can be fatal.
As well as being the leading cause of long-term disability, it’s also the leading preventable cause of disability. Most patients experience stroke-like symptoms 24 hours before the onset of illness and the faster it’s treated the more long term difficulties you can help prevent.
A stroke occurs when a vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot or ruptures. A stroke caused by a clot is called an ischemic stroke; about 85 percent of all strokes in the United States are ischemic.
Symptoms often occur suddenly, but many feel that something is wrong a day or two before an attack.
1. High blood pressure
Many people have high blood pressure and don’t display any signs but high blood pressure can lead to a stroke by damaging and weakening your brain’s blood vessels. High blood pressure can also cause blood clots to form in the arteries leading to your brain, blocking blood flow and potentially causing a stroke.
2. Stiff neck
Many stroke sufferers report experiencing an unbearable pain in their head which can also cause pain between your eyes and a stiff neck.
3. Confusion
If you’re having difficulty talking or understanding, it could mean that blood is not getting to the area of the brain that controls language and a clot has occurred.
4. Splitting headache
We all suffer from headaches sometime and it’s usually nothing to worry about.
However, if you suddenly get an unexplained headache with pain you have never experienced before, you should go to the nearest emergency room.
5. Paralysis
If one side of your body doesn’t respond it may be a sign of a stroke according to health.usnews.com. If you’re unable to lift your limbs on one side of your body this is a clear signal that you need to get checked out.
6. Trouble seeing
A sudden visual disturbance in one or both eyes may be a sign that you are getting a stroke. Strokes can diminish sight in one or both eyes or cause double vision.
7. Trouble walking
Loss of coordination and balance or difficulty walking can signal that a stroke has occurred.
8. Nausea and vomiting
If you are experiencing a stroke caused by a vessel in the back part of the brain being blocked then nausea or vomiting could be a symptom of this, according to The Stroke Association.
Nausea, and vomiting sometimes accompany a stroke, particularly when the stroke involves bleeding inside the brain.
The FAST test
If you suspect that a person has suffered a stroke, you can do the so-called FAST test.
F – Face drooping
A – Arm weakness
S – Speech difficulty
T – Time to call 911
If someone is displaying the above signs you should get them medical help immediately.
Keep in mind that symptoms of a stroke can express themselves in many different ways, depending on the individual.
But by paying attention to these 8 symptoms, I hope that in the future more lives can be saved.
Please share this article on Facebook and don’t forget to look out for each other!
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