How to recognize a stroke!

The Most Common Stroke Symptoms

How do you know if someone is having a stroke? Here are the most common signs of stroke in both men and women:

·         Numbness. You may suddenly feel weak or numb in your face, arm, or leg. Typically the weakness is on one side of your body, you also may feel numbness around your mouth.

·         Speech problems. You may have trouble talking. Your speech may be slurred or you may not be able to speak at all,

·         Confusion. You may become confused and have trouble understanding what people are saying to you.

·         Vision problems. You may experience double vision or difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes. It can seem like a shade has been drawn over one eye.

·         Dizziness. You may feel dizzy and have trouble with balance and coordination. You walk like you’re suddenly drunk.

·         Head pain. You may have a headache that comes on suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue. Your severe head pain may be accompanied by vomiting.

The National Stroke Association says a good way to recognize the warning signs of stroke in another person is to think “FAST”:

·         F is for face. See if one side of the face droops when you ask that person to smile.

·         A is for arms. When trying to raise both arms, does one drift downward?

·         S is for speech. Is the person speaking clearly or is there slurring?

·         T is for time. If you observe any of these signs, immediately go to the ER for an evaluation. The sooner the person gets treated, the lower the risk of permanent damage.

Stroke Symptoms Unique to Women

Women may experience any of the most common signs of stroke listed above for both genders, but they are also likely to experience a unique set of symptoms that come on suddenly, including:

·         Hiccups

·         Nausea

·         Chest pain

·         Shortness of breath

·         Racing of the heart or heart palpitations

·         Fainting or loss of consciousness