Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and can cause lifelong disability and complications. This condition is considered an emergency and must be treated immediately. Learn to recognize the signs of a stroke because immediate help can help you get the right treatment while reducing your risk of disability.
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Part 1 of 3: Watching for Stroke Symptoms
Step 1. Watch for signs of a stroke
There are several things that can indicate that someone is having a stroke. These signs may also include the sudden appearance of the following symptoms:
- Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. One side of the face may appear to drop when the person tries to smile.
- Confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding conversation, unable to speak clearly.
- Difficulty seeing with one or both eyes, dark or double vision.
- Severe headache, usually for no apparent reason and may be accompanied by vomiting.
- Difficulty walking, loss of balance or body coordination, and dizziness.
Step 2. Observe female-specific symptoms
In addition to the general symptoms, women may also experience stroke-specific symptoms. These symptoms include:
- Weak
- Hard to breathe
- Changes in behavior or sudden agitation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Hiccup
- hallucination
Step 3. Check for signs of stroke with the FAST method
FAST is an easy-to-remember acronym for checking for signs of a stroke quickly.
- F-FACE: Ask the person to smile. Is one side of his face down?
- A- ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Did one of them go down?
- S- SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is the way he speaks strange or incoherent?
- T-TIME: If these signs are detected, immediately call 118.
Step 4. Seek immediate medical attention
If you suspect someone has had a stroke, call 118 immediately. Every minute counts in treating a stroke. In every minute a stroke is left, a person can lose 1.9 million nerves. This will reduce the chances of recovery and increase the likelihood of complications and even death.
- In addition, the treatment of ischemic stroke has a narrow time span. So, getting help at the hospital as soon as possible is important.
- Some hospitals have treatment units that specialize in treating stroke. If you are at risk for a stroke, locating this care unit may be helpful.
Part 2 of 3: Knowing the Risk Factors for Stroke
Step 1. Check your health condition
Stroke can happen to anyone. However, some people are more likely to experience it. Consult about your increased risk of having a stroke due to the following diseases:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease such as atrial fibrillation or stenosis
- Previous stroke or TIA (mild stroke)
Step 2. Pay attention to your lifestyle
If your lifestyle doesn't prioritize exercise and a healthy diet, you may be at greater risk of having a stroke. Some lifestyle components that can increase your risk of having a stroke include:
- Overweight or obesity
- Rarely move
- Consuming a lot of alcohol or using illegal drugs
- Smoke
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
Step 3. Consider genetics
There are some risk factors that you may not be able to avoid, such as:
- Age: after age 55, your risk of having a stroke doubles every 10 years.
- Ethnicity or race: African-American, Hispanic, and Asian descent are at higher risk of stroke.
- Women are at a slightly higher risk of stroke.
- Family history of stroke.
Step 4. For women, find out if you have any other risk factors
There are several other factors that can affect a woman's risk of having a stroke. These factors include:
- Use of the contraceptive pill: oral contraceptives can increase the risk of stroke, especially if other risk factors are also present, such as smoking or having high blood pressure.
- Pregnancy: this condition increases blood pressure and puts a strain on the heart.
- Hormone replacement therapy: women often undergo this therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms.
- Migraine aura: migraines are more common in women than men, and migraines are associated with an increased risk of stroke.
Part 3 of 3: Understanding Stroke
Step 1. Understand the process of stroke
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain, along with oxygen and other nutrients, is blocked or reduced. This can lead to rapid death of brain cells. Long-term obstruction of blood supply can lead to widespread brain death and lead to long-term disability.
Step 2. Know the two types of stroke
Most strokes can be classified into two categories, namely ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot that blocks the blood supply to the brain. Most (80%) stroke cases are classified as ischemic stroke. Meanwhile, hemorrhagic strokes are caused by ruptured blood vessels in the brain. This causes blood to flow out of the brain.
Step 3. Recognize a transient ischemic attack
This type of stroke, also known as a TIA, is a mild stroke. This stroke is caused by a "temporary" blockage of the blood supply to the brain. For example, small moving blood clots can temporarily block blood vessels. Although the symptoms are similar to those of a severe stroke, these attacks last much shorter, usually less than 5 minutes. Meanwhile, the symptoms appear and disappear within 24 hours.
- However, you can't tell the difference between a TIA attack and a stroke based solely on the timing and symptoms.
- Seeking emergency help is still important because a TIA is an indication of a possible future stroke.
Step 4. Know the disability caused by the stroke
Post-stroke disabilities include difficulty moving (paralysis), problems in thinking, speaking, memory loss, etc. This disability can be mild or severe, depending on the severity of the stroke (size of the blood clot, degree of brain damage) and how long it takes the patient to get help.
Warning
- Note the time the symptoms of a stroke begin to appear. Doctors need this information when treating patients.
- Place your cell phone or telephone near you. When someone experiences any of the symptoms of a stroke, call an ambulance immediately.
- Even if a person experiences only one of the symptoms of a stroke, seeking emergency help is still important.
