Stroke- Early warnings that should not be neglected

                Stroke is one of the most common cause of death and a major cause of severe lifelong disability. People over 55 years of age are at a higher risk of stroke and people already diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease are at a higher risk of stroke. 

What is stroke?

Stroke happens when a blood vessel that brings oxygen to the brain is blocked this leads a lack of oxygen to the brain. Lack of oxygen kills the cells in the brain that are supplied by this blood vessel and the part of the body controlled by these brain cells stop working.

                    

When the blood vessel is blocked only for a very short time the stroke can be felt only for a very short time. This is known as a transient ischemic attack. This is like a mini stroke or warning stroke and can happen before a major stroke. The symptoms may only last for a few minutes. 

Early warning signs of stroke 

Identifying the early signs of stroke is very important. Getting a faster treatment should be the first priority because every second without oxygen damages the brain. The early warning signs are pretty easy to identify. Prathima Hospital is one of the best hospital in Hyderabad. 

F.A.S.T. is the acronym commonly used to remember the early signs of stroke. This refers to the following:

·         Face drooping

·         Arm weakness

·         Speech difficulty

·         Time to call the emergency

The early warning signs of a stroke include the following:

·         Drooping of the face on one side or numbness of the face on one side. This can be identified when the smile of a person looks uneven.

·         One arm will feel weak or numb. When a person is asked to raise both the arms, one arm will drift downwards.

·         There will be a difficulty in speaking and the speech will sound slurred. The words of the person will be hard to understand.

·         Numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg of one side of the body because each side of the brain controls one side of the body, a stroke usually affects one half of the body.

·         Confusion or trouble in understanding

·         Trouble seeing in one or both the eyes

·         Sudden dizziness, trouble walking, , loss of balance or coordination.

·         Sudden and severe headache with no obvious cause.

     Knowing the early signs of stroke is essential to prevent further damage to the brain, major disabilities or even death. If you notice any of the above signs it is required to go to the emergency department immediately without any delay.