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A stroke occurs when there's bleeding into your brain or when normal blood flow to your brain is blocked. Within minutes of being deprived of essential nutrients, brain cells start dying — a process that may continue over the next several hours.
Seek immediate medical assistance. A stroke is a true emergency. The sooner treatment is given, the more likely it is that damage can be minimized. Every moment counts.
Signs and symptoms of a stroke include:
- Sudden weakness or numbness in your face, arm or leg on one side of your body
- Sudden dimness, blurring or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
- Loss of speech, trouble talking or understanding speech
- Sudden, severe headache — a bolt out of the blue — with no apparent cause
- Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially if accompanied by any of the other signs or symptoms
Risk factors for stroke include having high blood pressure, having had a previous stroke, smoking, having diabetes and having heart disease. Your risk of stroke increases as you age.
- Learn to recognize a stroke. American Stroke Association. http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1020. Accessed Sept. 15, 2009.
- Stroke. American College of Emergency Physicians Foundation. http://www.emergencycareforyou.org/EmergencyManual/WhatToDoInMedicalEmergency/Default.aspx?id=274. Accessed Sept. 15, 2009.
