Symptoms
People at risk and partners or caretakers of people at risk for stroke should be aware of the general symptoms. The stroke victim should get to the hospital as soon as possible after these warning signs appear. It is particularly important for people with migraines or frequent severe headaches to understand how to distinguish between their usual headaches and symptoms of stroke.
The American Stroke Association lists the following five warning signs of stroke. PEOPLE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CALL FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IF THEY EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Research indicates that patients receive faster treatment for stroke if they arrive by ambulance rather than coming to the emergency room on their own.
An easy way to remember the signs of stroke, and what to do, is by the acronym "F.A.S.T." If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, the National Stroke Association's F.A.S.T. test advises:
- (F)ACE. Ask the person to smile. Check to see if one side of the face droops.
- (A)RMS. Ask the person to raise both arms. See if one arm drifts downward.
- (S)PEECH. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Check to see if words are slurred and if the sentence is repeated correctly.
- (T)IME. If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is essential. It is important to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Call 9-1-1. Act FAST.
Symptoms of TIAs and Early Ischemic Stroke
The symptoms of a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and early ischemic stroke are similar. In the case of a TIA, however, the symptoms should resolve within 24 hours. Symptoms depend on where the injury in the brain occurs. The origin of the stroke is usually either the carotid or basilar arteries.
The build-up of plaque in the internal carotid artery may lead to narrowing and irregularity of the artery's lumen, preventing proper blood flow to the brain. More commonly, as the narrowing worsens, pieces of plaque in the internal carotid artery can break free, travel to the brain, and block blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. This leads to stroke, with possible paralysis or other deficits.
Symptoms From Blockage in the Carotid Arteries. The carotid arteries stem off of the aorta (the primary artery leading from the heart) and lead up through the neck, around the windpipe, and on into the brain. When TIAs or stroke occur from blockage in the carotid artery, which they often do, symptoms may occur in either the retina of the eye or the cerebral hemisphere (the large top part of the brain).
Symptoms include the following:
