Signs of a Stroke
There are five common signs of someone having a stroke. The first sign, in no order of importance or occurrence, is abrupt numbness in a limb or in one’s face, notably on a specific side of the body (left or right). This is often the most common known sign of a stroke. When one feels numbness, especially on one side of the body, it can be quite frightening to decipher the sudden abnormality. The second sign is a severe headache, especially one with no known origin. Although headaches may be normal for some, one with such an intense pain and no known cause should be evaluated promptly. The third sign is trouble with common motor abilities such as walking, coordination, and equilibrium as well as experiencing a feeling of dizziness. Alone, one of these problems with motor abilities might seem normal but together, such issues could be very severe. The forth sign is sudden trouble seeing in both or only one eyes. Vision is crucial to the awareness of our surrounding, any immediate change in the normal functioning should be attended to accordingly. Lastly, the fifth sign is a rapid change in cognition, such as experiencing bouts of confusion or trouble in understanding, and verbal capabilities. This sign is one of the clearer symptoms to someone around the stroke victim. Experiencing a sudden change in cognition and verbal capabilities can leave the victim horrified as they could have difficulty even reaching out for help.
Each stroke victim can have a completely unique experience. A patient may only exhibit one, some, or all signs. If anyone sees a person exhibiting any of these signs, one should seek medical assistance promptly. Strokes can be treated but only if acted on immediately. Time is key as the damage to the brain can occur rapidly. The quicker the victim is attended to, the better the chances are for recovery. Having a stroke is a very serious trauma to the brain. The symptoms should never be taken lightly. Even if the signs go away after a brief occurrence, one should still seek attention because they could be having a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or a “mini stroke”. Despite the name, there is nothing small or indiscrete about a stroke. Each and every sign should be attended to as soon as possible.
