Recognizing Signs of a Stroke And Quick Treatment

If you or someone you know is having a stroke, a quick diagnosis and treatment might be the difference between life or death or permanent paralysis if the stroke victim survives. So it is essential that you know the signs of a stroke.If you can get the stroke victim to the hospital within three hours of the attack, the prognosis for full recovery is optimistic.

First, some facts about strokes and who is mmost likely to suffer one.Strokes kill one person each minute in the U.S. alone. Of the 750,000 victims each year, one-third die, and another third suffer permanent paralysis, loss of speech or memory lapses.

Strokes are caused by plaque build up in the arteries or by a plaque fragment that breaks free and lodges in the brain, shutting off the blood supply.

Persons Who Are At Risk

Your chances of having a stroke are higher if you fall into these categories
1) Hereditary–If a person comes from a family where other members have suffered strokes.
2) Gender–Women are more likely to have a stroke than men.
3) Age–The chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade of life after age 55.Stroke is more common among persons over 65, but it also hits younger persons as well.
4) Race–African Americans are more likely to have one than are Caucasians.
5) Medical History–Sickle cell anemia. Sickled red blood cells carry less oxygen to the rest of the body. They also can stick to the walls of the blood vessels, which can block arteries to the brain, causing a stroke.
Persons who are prior stroke victims or who have had a mini stroke, called a TIA, are much more likely to have another stroke.

Stroke Symptoms

A simple four-question quiz will tell you if someone you’re with is having a stroke

1.) Ask the individual to SMILE. If he’s having a stroke, he won’t be able to smile normally–his smile wille be distorted.
2.) Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)(i.e. Ann is a great homemaker. A stroke victim will not be able to do this easily.
3.) Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS. He’ll just be able to raise one.
4.) Ask him to STICK OUT HIS TONGUE. If the tongue is ‘crooked’, if it goes to one side or the other,that is also an indication of a stroke.
If any of these tasks were a prblem to complete, it’s time to get to the hospital immediately. Start with 911 and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

Another sign that you’ve had a TIA, or mini-stroke, is a heaviness in your leg or legs that makes it unusually difficult to walk or climb the stairs.The victim might trip going up the stairs because one leg didn’t lift high enough to clear a stair. The victim has trouble keeping his balance and might even fall down and struggle to stand up.

If this happens to you or the person you’re with it, is imperative you get to a hospital immediately.You’ll immediately be taken into the medical ward and be given tests to determine if it is a stroke and immediate treatment if it is. And you dodged a bullet today! The odds are that you’ve survived and haven’t had any permanent damage to your brain.

If you have this experience and everything works out ok, remember that this is a warning and lifestyle changes are mandatory to keep another, more serious stroke from happening again.

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