Did
you know that having a stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in
the United States? Maybe you’ve had a family member or you have seen
someone on television suffer from a stroke but do you know what it is or
the warning signs?
What is a stroke?
A
stroke is a "brain attack". Although it is more common for women over
the age of 55 it can happen to anyone at any time. It occurs when blood
flow to an area of brain is cut off. When this happens, brain cells are
deprived of oxygen and begin to die. When brain cells die during a
stroke, abilities controlled by that area of the brain such as memory
and muscle control are lost. How
a person is affected by their stroke depends on where the stroke occurs
in the brain and how much the brain is damaged. For example, someone
who had a small stroke may only have minor problems such as temporary
weakness of an arm or leg. People who have larger strokes may be
permanently paralyzed on one side of their body or lose their ability to
speak. Some people recover completely from strokes, but more than 2/3
of survivors will have some type of disability. Having a stroke is the
leading cause of adult disability in the United States.
Signs of a Stroke
The American Stroke Association uses the acronym “F.A.S.T.” to spot the warning signs of someone having a stroke.
F- Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is it uneven?
A- Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S- Speech Difficulty: Is the speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence and see if it is repeated correctly.
T- Time to call 911: If someone is showing signs of these symptoms call 911 or get to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you know when the symptoms appeared.
Some
other symptoms may include: Numbness of face, arm or leg. Confusion.
Trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Trouble walking, loss of balance or
coordination. Sudden severe headaches.
Prevention
Luckily, up to 80% of strokes can be prevented.
The
first step to preventing a stroke is to identify conditions that can
increase your risk of stroke such as heredity, high blood pressure,
heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, diabetes, hormones and
circulation problems. All of these factors can be discussed with your
health care professional.
Now
that you’ve read our blog you know how to spot a stroke and how to
prevent a stroke. You could save someone’s life as well as your own!
Sources:
http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/what-stroke
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Stroke-Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Stroke-Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp
http://www.stroke.org/sites/default/files/resources/prevention-brochure-2015.pdf