What Is A Stroke?
Stroke is a medical emergency and is the leading cause of death and disability mostly in adults. Sometimes it is difficult to notice the signs of a stroke. You must have a close check on the warning signs of a stroke to save your precious life. Before discussing warning signs of a stroke let's have an understanding of what is a stroke?
There must be a constant supply of blood to brain to function properly. The blood supply provides vital nutrients and oxygen to the brain cells. The blood vessels (arteries) transport oxygen rich blood from the heart to all organs and tissues of the body including brain.
If there is any restriction of blood flow to brain then it will cause stroke. It can be restricted due to two main reasons. The artery supplying blood to the brain has a clot in it that blocks the blood flow called ischemic stroke.
In second case the artery supplying blood to brain bursts mostly due to high blood pressure. This is called hemorrhagic stroke. This also interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain.
When blood supply to brain is restricted or stopped, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs. In this case disabilities occur to those parts of body that are controlled by that area of the brain. This can include loss of speech, memory and movement. The affect on the patient depends on where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged.
If a stroke is minor, then a minor weakness of an arm or leg occurs. But it can also be large stroke in which the patient can be paralyzed on one side or lose their ability to speak. Brain cells usually die shortly after the stroke starts. However, if the blood supply is not completely cut off then there is a chance of survival and blood cells can last for some hours before they die.
Luckily, in some patients, If the blood supply is returned in the minutes and hours after the stroke, some of these cells may recover. There is also called a mini stroke. This is a temporary blockage that doesn't cause permanent brain damage, but can cause stroke warning signs for minutes or even hours, and this is a warning sign that should be taken care of and not ignored.
You must know the early signs of stroke and immediately seek emergency medical help if those symptoms appear. Some people recover completely from strokes, but more than 2 or 3 of survivors will have some type of long term disability. A stroke is always a medical emergency and therefore it's important to recognize the symptoms of a stroke and to get help as soon as possible.
This is one of the alarming warning signs of a stroke. There is a sudden weakness or numbness in the muscles of face, arm or leg on one side of the body. Sometimes the patient is complete paralyzed and cannot even lift an arm. In other cases one side of the face droops and the face appear non-symmetrical when trying to talk or smile.
The patient has communication problems, ability to understand speech and struggles to talk or create logical sentences and may appear confused or struggles to understand statements or commands.
There may be trouble seeing clearly, especially in one eye. This is one of the advanced warning signs of a stroke.
In this there is lack of feeling on the skin, or other senses can be affected, such as smell taste and hearing.
Patient feels dizzy and vertigo accompanied by vomiting, nausea, fever or brief loss of consciousness. Often victims struggle to walk and lose their balance and coordination.
The headache is followed rapidly by loss of consciousness.
In this there is trouble swallowing to the point that the patience forcefully throws the food out of mouth
It is a medical emergency and if not taken care immediately then it can claim the life of that person. If you or someone with you shows any possible signs of stroke, don't hesitate. Get emergency medical care right away. Immediate identification and quick evacuation to hospital can save life.
If you are not sure whether a person around you had a stroke, follow these simple tests and ask the patient to make 4 small things
Ask the patient to smile and see if he/she can smile properly or if one side of the face droops, then it is a warning sign
Ask the patient to raise both hands together. See if one hand drifts downward or cannot be lifted. If so then it is a warning sign of a stroke.
Ask the patient to say a simple sentence. Check if their speech is strange or unclear.
If even one of the above does not work properly, it's time to call the ambulance immediately for medical help.