It was pretty scary. My Uncle was playing tennis with his friends and he felt dizzy all of a sudden. His friends drove him home right away, but thankfully my Aunt realized there was more to it and rushed him to the Emergency Room. It turned out that he got there in the nick of time.
There is generally a 3-hour window from onset of stroke symptoms to get to a hospital for greater chance of full recovery and prevent brain damage. This is why it is so critical to to know the signs of a stroke to get immediate attention if needed.
If one side of your face droops or is numb, you may be having a stroke. Look for a smile that is uneven.
Beware if one arm is weak or numb. Raise both arms and check out if one arm drifts downward.
Slurred speech or being unable to speak or be understood. Repeat a simple sentence such as “The sky is blue” with no complications.
If you or someone experiences the above symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, get to the hospital immediately
Check out additional signs beyond the FAST symptoms above:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, leg or face
- Sudden confusion
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Knowledge is power and acting quickly can change a life. Send this article to someone you love today.
