Act FAST if You See Signs of Stroke!
Stroke symptoms come on suddenly and may include:
- Numbness or weakness on one side of the body
- Trouble speaking or understanding
- Difficulty seeing
- Trouble walking
- Severe headache
The National Stroke Association recommends remembering the word FAST:
F=FACE - Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A=ARMS - Ask the person to raise botha rms. Does one arm drift downward?
S=Speech - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Can the person repeat it correctly?
T=Time - If the person shows any of these stroke symptoms, call 911!
A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is a stroke with symptoms that vanish within one to 24 hours. The culprit is usually a blood supply to the brain. A TIA may be warning sign for a future stroke, requiring medicines or other stroke-preventing treatments. Because you can’t tell whether an episode is a TIA or a stroke, get to the hospital as soon as you can.