Touching nearly 130,000 people in France, strokes, manifest themselves without warning. They are also one of the leading causes of mortality in the world after cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke is therefore essential in order to act on time and prevent the serious consequences of this problem.
Cerebrovascular accidents (strokes) appear as a result of interruption of blood circulation in an area of the brain. This leads to a lack of oxygen and nutrients in the brain cells and consequently their death.
There are two types of stroke:
Hemorrhagic stroke which is caused by the rupture of a blood vessel caused by hypertension. This form of stroke occurs through inter-cerebral bleeding.
Ischemic stroke is the result of obstruction of a cerebral artery after the formation of a clot on a plate of lipids. This type of stroke is the most common. Note, however, that the clot can form elsewhere, and reaches the brain through the bloodstream.
Risk factors for stroke:
The two main risk factors for stroke are:
Hypertension, which causes the weakening of the walls of blood vessels throughout the body, even those of the brain
Hypercholesterolemia that enhances the development of lipid plaques
Smoking is also one of the leading causes of stroke. Followed by poor diet, chronic stress, obesity, oral contraception and excessive alcohol consumption.
However, hereditary factors and age, which increase the risk of stroke, should not be overlooked.
Generally, the consequences and consequences of stroke can be cumbersome and depend mainly on the extent of the affected area.
Symptoms of stroke:
Neck stiffness :
The stiff neck is one of the symptoms of stroke. If it manifests abruptly and is mostly accompanied by headaches, the situation can be alarming.
Headache :
Headaches and migraines are very common problems. They can be transient, frequent or rather sudden, in which case they announce a stroke.
Indeed, the majority of patients with stroke describe their headaches as an intense pain that suddenly appears. This is due to the rupture of a blood vessel, leading to cerebral hemorrhage.
Partial paralysis or loss of sensitivity:
This is a symptom which must not be overlooked. If you experience sudden numbness, or loss of sensitivity to the face (drooping lip) or part of your body, immediately call for help. It can be a leg, an arm or a whole side of the body. This is a harbinger of a stroke.
Vision Disorders:
Disorders or loss of vision are also alarming signs. Generally, people prone to stroke lose sight in a sudden way or begin to see blurry. These disorders can affect a single eye or sometimes both eyes, but remain transitory, because the sight is reestablished thereafter. It is important, however, to call for help when these signs appear.
Speech disorders:
People prone to stroke can experience speech disorders. They usually struggle to speak correctly or to be understood.
The FAST test to recognize a stroke:
The onset of one or all of these symptoms may signal a stroke, but this is not always the case. To find out if this is the problem, try the FAST test. Simple and effective, it allows to evaluate the capacities of the person.
If you ever find yourself facing a person who presents these signs, here's what you need to do:
Face: ask him to smile and make sure that one of the corners of his lips does not fall
Arms: ask him to stretch both arms forward by stretching them. Does one of them fall directly?
Speech: Try to make her repeat a sentence and pay attention to what she says. Is his speech strange? Do you understand that?
Time: If you notice any of these signs, call emergency