There are two main types of stroke, hemorrhagic and ischemic. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot lodges in a blood vessel of the brain, causing a loss of blood supply to the brain, which can cause death of brain tissue. When a person has a stroke, there are many signs that everyone needs to know in order to save it before it's too late.
Neurologists say that if there is medical intervention for a victim of a stroke within 6 hours, the effects of the stroke can be treated. The trick is to know a stroke, to diagnose it, then to treat the patient medically within 6 hours.
Identify a stroke
Sometimes the symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, lack of awareness causes tragedies. The stroke victim can suffer serious brain damage when people nearby do not recognize the symptoms.
Now, anyone can recognize a stroke by observing these three signs according to the method "FAST" derived from "FAST" in English:
F: Paralyzed face and deviant mouth. Ask the person to smile and see if one side is paralyzed. In case of a stroke, one side of the face may be numb and the smile may appear irregular.
A: Inertia of the limbs. Ask the person to lift both arms. Is there weakness or numbness on one side? A numb arm is a sign of unilateral numbness.
S: Speech disorder. People who have had a stroke may be quiet or have trouble speaking. The word can be incomprehensible. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence and look for any abnormal speech.
T: In an emergency! If a person has any of the above symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call the emergency room and take them to the hospital immediately.
What are the other signs and symptoms of stroke?
A stroke can cause a disruption of several functions of the nervous system. Stroke symptoms usually occur on one side of the body and appear suddenly. With transient ischemic attack, sometimes called mini-stroke, the symptoms appear and can disappear on their own.
Other possible signs and symptoms of stroke include the sudden onset of:
- Weakness or paralysis of any part of the body.
- Numbness or a sensation of "tingling" anywhere in the body.
- Walking disorders or loss of balance and coordination.
- Changes in vision, blurred vision, or visual disturbances in one or both eyes.
- Dizziness.
- Severe headache that is usually different from ordinary headaches.
- Memory loss
- Difficulty swallowing
What should you do if a person has signs and symptoms of a stroke?
Remember to think and act FAST. If you see someone who might have the symptoms listed above, do not wait to call the emergency room immediately. You can help save a life or reduce the risk of long-term disability.
Stroke prevention
You can take several precautions to prevent the risk of stroke:
1. Lower blood pressure
High blood pressure is an important factor, doubling or even quadrupling the risk of stroke if it is not controlled. In order to achieve this goal, you must:
- Reduce salt in your diet.
- Avoid foods high in cholesterol, such as foods and processed foods, cheese and ice cream.
- Eat several fruits and vegetables a day, a portion of fish two to three times a week and several daily servings of whole grains.
- Get more exercise, at least 30 minutes of activity a day, and more, if possible.
- Stop smoking.
2. Lose weight
Obesity and associated complications, including high blood pressure and diabetes, increase the risk of having a stroke.
- Try not to consume more than the recommended caloric intake based on your gender and level of physical activity.
- Increase the amount of physical exercise you do
- When doing a sport activity, reach the level where you breathe hard, but where you can still talk.
- Take the stairs instead of an elevator when you can.
- If you do not have 30 consecutive minutes of physical activity, divide them into 10 to 15 minute sessions several times a day.