6 signs of a stroke you need to act immediately

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Doctors have several hours to save the person. Everyone needs to know the symptoms of a stroke in order to recognize the disease.

A stroke is a violation of the blood circulation in the brain. When blood does not flow to the cells (due to a blood clot or rupture of a vessel), they die. Because of this, a person loses the ability to move, speak, see, breathe.

Stroke is the second (after coronary heart disease) cause of death in Russia. A fifth of patients after a stroke become severely disabled. But many consequences can be prevented if a doctor is called in time.

The first 3-6 hours after a stroke is the “therapeutic window” - the time when medical care is most effective.

Sometimes a person does not immediately notice that something is wrong with him, or thinks that the malaise will go away on its own. This is a waste of precious time. Therefore, it is important to know what a stroke looks like and what to do with it.

The main signs of a stroke

1. Suddenly and severely, the head begins to hurt.

2. The person loses consciousness.

3. The balance is disturbed, the gait becomes unsteady.

4. Part of the body goes numb on one side, for example, half of the face.

5. Speech problems appear: it is difficult to pronounce words.

6. Vision is lost in one eye or in both.

How to understand exactly what is a stroke

Ask the person to follow a few simple steps:

• Smile. If a person cannot smile or the smile comes out one-sided (and this was not the case before), sound the alarm.
• Talk. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence or poem after you. After a stroke, articulation is impaired, speech becomes slurred.
• Stick out tongue. If a person cannot do this, if the tongue involuntarily deviates to one side or looks slanted, then this is a stroke.
• Raise two hands evenly. With a stroke, a person will not be able to control both arms equally well.
• Raise your hands in front of you and close your eyes. If one arm falls involuntarily, it is a sign of a stroke.
• Write SMS. Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital noticed that patients who lack other signs of a stroke cannot type a coherent message: they write a nonsense set of words without noticing it.

If a person has not coped with at least one of the tasks, this is enough to immediately act.

What to do if a person has a stroke

First, call an ambulance. Be sure to describe why you suspect a stroke: a headache has started abruptly, the person has lost consciousness or balance. Tell us what the patient cannot do: cannot smile, cannot raise two hands, cannot pronounce words.

With a stroke, professional help is needed as soon as possible.

After calling an ambulance, lay the person on pillows, the elevation should start from the shoulder blades. Provide fresh air: open a window or door in the room, unbutton tight clothes.

Do not give food and water, because organ functions may be impaired and it will be difficult for a person to swallow.

If possible, measure your blood pressure. If it is high, give the person the blood pressure lowering medication they usually take. If there is no such pill, do not give anything.