Listen to Your Body: 24-Hour Warning Signs of a Stroke
In the US, nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke each year, it is the cause of one in twenty deaths.
Heart attacks can happen quickly and if you are alone or not near people who are aware of the warning signs, a delay in treatment can be deadly.
It is not only the leading cause of long-term disability, it is also the leading preventable cause of disability. Most patients experience stroke-like symptoms 24 hours before the onset of the disease, and the faster they are treated, the better you can prevent long-term problems.
A stroke occurs when a blood 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 show no signs, but high blood pressure can lead to a stroke by damaging and weakening the blood vessels of your brain. 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 patients report having an unbearable pain in their head that can also cause pain between your eyes and a stiff neck.
3. Confusion
If you have trouble speaking or understanding things, this can mean that no blood is reaching the area of the brain that controls language because a clot has occurred.
4. Headache
We all experience headaches from time to time and it is usually nothing to worry about. However, if you suddenly get an unexplained headache with pain you’ve never experienced before, you should go to the nearest emergency room.
5. Paralysis
If one side of your body is unresponsive, this could be a sign of a stroke according to health.usnews.com. If you can’t lift your limbs on one side of your body, this is a clear signal that you should go to the hospital.
6. Vision problems
A sudden visual disturbance in one or both eyes can be a sign that you are having a stroke. Strokes can reduce vision in one or both eyes, or cause double vision.
7. Difficulty walking
Loss of coordination and balance or difficulty walking can be a sign that a stroke has occurred.
8. Nausea and vomiting
If you are experiencing a stroke caused by a blood vessel being blocked in the back part of the brain, nausea or vomiting may be a symptom of this, according to The Stroke Association. Nausea and vomiting are sometimes associated with a stroke, especially when the stroke is accompanied by bleeding in the brain.
The FAST test
If you suspect a person has had a stroke, you can do the so-called FAST test.
G – Face drooping
A – Arm weakness
S – Speech difficulties
T – Time to call 112
If someone shows the above symptoms, they should get medical help immediately.
Keep in mind that symptoms of a heart attack can manifest in different ways, depending on the individual.
But by paying attention to these 8 symptoms, I hope that more lives can be saved in the future.
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