{"id":5143,"date":"2015-05-21T07:00:42","date_gmt":"2015-05-21T12:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=5143"},"modified":"2017-09-19T11:37:52","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T16:37:52","slug":"what-are-the-symptoms-of-a-stroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/05\/what-are-the-symptoms-of-a-stroke\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the Symptoms of a Stroke?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What are the Symptoms of a Stroke?\"Spot<\/h1>\n

If you or someone you know were having a stroke, would you know it? One in six<\/strong> of us will have a stroke at some point, and anyone can have one<\/strong>, even children, although women, older adults, and people of non-Caucasian heritage are at higher than average risk.<\/p>\n

The bad news about stroke is that it\u2019s the most common cause of disability among Americans and the fifth most common cause of death. The good news is that in many cases, stroke damage can be limited by a clot-busting treatment called tPA\u2014as long as the patient gets help within 3 hours of his or her first stroke symptoms.<\/p>\n

Think FAST<\/h2>\n

That small but crucial window of opportunity for \u201cthe gold standard\u201d in stroke treatment means spotting a stroke quickly is the key to getting the most effective help. Doctors say the best way to decide whether to get help is to think \u201cFAST\u201d when these symptoms appear suddenly:<\/p>\n

– Face drooping<\/b> happens when muscles on one side of the face are paralyzed from lack of oxygen or increased pressure on nerves. Sometimes drooping is accompanied by numbness. Not sure whether it\u2019s really happening? Try to smile \u2014 during a stroke, the smile is often visibly lopsided.<\/p>\n

– Arm weakness<\/b> on one side of the body. Some people find they cannot move one arm at all during a stroke. Others have more subtle arm problems. A quick test is to try to raise both arms to an equal height. If one arm stays lower than the other or sinks down, it could be due to a stroke.<\/p>\n

– Speech difficulty<\/b> during a stroke can range from slurred or garbled speech to a complete inability to talk. Stroke victims usually can\u2019t repeat a simple sentence clearly.<\/p>\n

– Time<\/b> isn\u2019t a symptom but it is a major factor in treatment and recovery. Doctors say it\u2019s time to call 911 as soon as you or someone else shows any of these signs of a stroke. If you can, make a note of the time when symptoms started, because elapsed time will affect treatment. Strokes can be fatal or disabling, so it\u2019s far better to be safe than sorry when possible symptoms appear.<\/p>\n

Other sudden signs it\u2019s time to call 911<\/h2>\n

Besides face drooping, arm weakness, and speech problems, a stroke can bring on other sudden problems. These include:<\/p>\n