{"id":916,"date":"2017-06-23T08:33:09","date_gmt":"2017-06-23T08:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=916"},"modified":"2021-03-12T15:10:19","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T15:10:19","slug":"15-common-symptoms-stroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-common-symptoms-stroke\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Most Common Symptoms of a Stroke"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"If you suspect you or a loved one might be about to suffer a stroke, then it is absolutely critical that you get help and support as fast as possible. Every second counts and the longer this goes on, the more damage it is likely to leave lasting, permanent damage.<\/p>\n

A stroke is a type of attack targeting the brain. In that regard it can be considered to be comparable to a heart attack, with the key difference being the area affected. These occur when supply to the blood is cut off for one reason or another, whether due to a clot or other issues. This is the most common type of stroke, referred to as an ischaemic stroke. However, in other cases, it is also possible to suffer from a stroke caused by bleeding in or around the brain, which is known as a haemorrhagic stroke. Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is also referred to as \u2018mini stroke\u2019 and this is used to describe stroke symptoms that last for less than 24 hours.<\/p>\n

No matter the nature of the stroke, this will lead to an insufficient supply of blood to the brain and when that happens, it can cause brain cells to die. The longer the stroke goes on for, the more cells can die and the more severe the damage can be.<\/p>\n

The severity and nature of the stroke symptoms will also be somewhat defined by the region of the brain that is most affected. Strokes in some areas can damage movement, while others can affect language more.<\/p>\n

This is why it is so important to ensure that you get treatment as quickly as possible: to minimize damage and to ensure a speedy and full recovery.<\/p>\n

Here are fifteen signs and symptoms that you should look out for\u2026<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Face<\/h3>\n

The acronym \u2018FAST\u2019 is used to teach people about the symptoms of strokes and how to response. The \u2018F\u2019 in Fast stands for \u2018Face\u2019 which refers to the fact that the face can begin to droop if someone is experiencing a stroke<\/a>. Often this is most noticeable when they smile, in which case they may only appear to smile with one half of their mouth. This can be accompanied with numbness in the face.
\nOther things can cause this symptom, such as muscle spasms, so it is important to ensure that you look for a combination of symptoms when making a rapid diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\"\"2. \u00a0Arm<\/h3>\n

Often a stroke is most likely to affect one side of the body more than the other.<\/p>\n

This can be seen in the face but it is also noticeable in the way that it can affect the arms. Ask the patient to lift their arms, or try to do so yourself.<\/p>\n

What you may notice is that one side is easy to lift and the other appears limp. Often this is once again accompanied by numbness<\/a> on that sign and usually, it will be the same side that the face is affected on.<\/p>\n

\"\"3. \u00a0Speech<\/h3>\n

Those suffering from strokes are likely to struggle<\/a> with speech. The individual might therefore sound like they are slurring, their voice might become slower, or they might be completely incomprehensible.<\/p>\n

In a minor stroke, this might seem similar to how someone speaks when under the influence of alcohol \u2013 which also causes a form of brain damage!<\/p>\n

So what does the \u2018T\u2019 stand for? That is \u2018Time\u2019; time to call 9-1-1!<\/p>\n

\"\"4. \u00a0Headaches<\/h3>\n

In some cases, a stroke can occur without a headache<\/a> but seeing as this is a condition that is caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain and ensuing cell damage, it should come as no big surprise that headaches are also a common symptom.<\/p>\n

These headaches might be incredibly intense and the key thing to consider is whether they seem similar to headaches that you may have had in the past. If this is unlike any headache you\u2019ve had before, then this is a worrying sign.<\/p>\n

Generally, this is true of any health symptom and the number one thing to look out for is changes to your usual health.<\/p>\n

\"\"5. \u00a0Difficulty With Numbers and Words<\/h3>\n

A patient suffering from a stroke might struggle to speak partly because they have lost full control over their mouth<\/a>. But another reason might be that they simply are having difficulty thinking of the next thing to say.<\/p>\n

This can also manifest itself in other ways. Writing might be more difficult for example and it might even become more difficult to use the telephone. This of course can be a big problem if you are alone having a stroke and you need to call for help.<\/p>\n

The frustrating part is that you might also be able to think normally, which can be highly frustrating.<\/p>\n

\"\"6. \u00a0Confusion<\/h3>\n

Confusion can also become more general.<\/p>\n

A stroke victim might struggle to understand what is being said to them as well as to talk, they might get confused as to what they are doing at any given moment and they might be more likely to become lost or frustrated.<\/p>\n

This can appear similar to extreme tiredness<\/a>. If you\u2019ve ever missed several nights of sleep and then buttered your hand instead of the bread, well then this is similar.<\/p>\n

\"\"7. \u00a0Behavioral Changes<\/h3>\n

Remember, a stroke can have a broad range of different symptoms depending on the part of the brain that gets affected.<\/p>\n

This means that it can also cause behavioral changes<\/a>. Thus the patient might experience bouts of uncontrollable and unprompted crying, they might become angry or quick to become frustrated. Also common is for the patient to lose some of their inhibition and perhaps to say or do things that would normally be considered inappropriate.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s scary to think how vulnerable the parts that make us \u2018us\u2019 are, but the brain is the seat of the personality and the brain is very delicate.<\/p>\n

\"\"8. \u00a0Weakness<\/h3>\n

The same weakness that can be felt in the arm and in the face might also be felt across the entire body. This can generally make coordination difficult, as well as any activity that requires the use of force.<\/p>\n

Again, there are many things that can cause weakness and it is important not to consider these symptom<\/a>s in an isolated fashion but rather in terms of how they appear alongside one another.<\/p>\n

Weakness is most likely caused by stroke if it occurs alongside some of these other symptoms and if it appears to come out of nowhere. In extreme cases, this can even be seen as complete paralysis in certain parts of the body.<\/p>\n

\"\"9. \u00a0Coordination<\/h3>\n

The patient might also exhibit signs of loss of coordination.<\/p>\n

The most obvious way this is likely to be apparent is in their gait: they might have difficulty walking or they might be prone to losing their balance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Likewise, they might have difficulty when reaching for objects, or they might drop things or fall over.<\/p>\n

\"\"10. \u00a0Blurred Vision<\/h3>\n

A stroke patient might experience blurred vision and have difficulty focusing. They might also notice other similar disturbances to their vision: in extreme cases they might experience hallucinations<\/a> or even kaleidoscopic colors and shapes appearing in front of their face.<\/p>\n

This is easy to confuse with a migraine however, which can also disturb the vision, cause scotomas (blind spots) and also lead to visual artefacts.<\/p>\n

The best course of action is to consider whether you have a history of such symptoms and if not, consider this a cause for concern.<\/p>\n

\"\"11. \u00a0Difficulty Swallowing<\/h3>\n

Perhaps a surprising aspect of a stroke is that it can cause difficulty with swallowing.<\/p>\n

This is a reflex that is controlled by the brain stem and once again, anything that is controlled by the brain<\/a> can be affected by a stroke.<\/p>\n

Eating is generally an activity that requires a lot of coordination and different bodily functions, so this is an area to watch.<\/p>\n

\"\"12. \u00a0Involuntary Eye Movements<\/h3>\n

Someone who is experiencing a stroke might find that their eyes move in an involuntary manner, seeming to dart around or blink a lot. They might also find that they experience involuntary movement in other parts of the body.<\/p>\n

Once more, the key thing to look out for here is change. Tourette\u2019s syndrome<\/a> can cause similar effects but likely the patient will have a history of this.<\/p>\n

\"\"13. \u00a0Dizziness<\/h3>\n

Any of the senses can be affected by a stroke and that includes the sense of \u2018equilibrioception\u2019 \u2013 or balance.<\/p>\n

Again, this is similar to being under the influence or to having a major migraine<\/a>. It can also be caused by a number of other things including head trauma, low blood pressure or ear infections.<\/p>\n

Again, look for other symptoms in conjunction with a loss of balance in order to ascertain whether a stroke might be responsible.<\/p>\n

\"\"14. \u00a0Numbness<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve already seen that numbness in the face or the arms can be a sign of stroke. However, it is also possible for a stroke to affect any other part of the body in the same way, though this is less common. You might find that strokes cause a numbness<\/a> in one part of the body, or that they cause a severe sensation of pins and needles.<\/p>\n

Again, this can also be caused by other things and notably by a \u2018dead leg\u2019 or \u2018dead arm\u2019 which occurs when you are lying on top of a limb and it causes blood circulation to be temporarily cut off.<\/p>\n

This is very common at night, so don\u2019t be alarmed if you wake up to find you have a numb and floppy arm!<\/p>\n

\"\"15. \u00a0Memory<\/h3>\n

Finally, a stroke can affect your memory and your ability to retrieve memories. Our memories are stored in our brains as a series of interconnected neurons<\/a> and this is referred to as our \u2018connectome\u2019.<\/p>\n

When a stroke affects an area of our brain it can end up damaging entire areas of this connectome, potentially removing memories and information. In some cases, this can become incredibly specific and categorical. There are recorded incidences of people forgetting all the names of vegetables for example and nothing else!<\/p>\n

As you can see then, there really are countless ways that a stroke can present itself but the key thing to remember is that FAST acronym.<\/p>\n\r\n

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