Stroke Survivor Blog

During a stroke TWO MILLION brain cells DIE EVERY MINUTE, making fast action and treatment absolutely necessary. You and your family should recognize the warning signs of stroke.

Stroke (and TIA) Warning Signs:

1. Sudden numbness or weakness in face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
2. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
3. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
4. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
5. Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

What to Do:

Some or all of these symptoms may be present depending on which part of the brain is being affected. Note the time when they started and call 911.

The National Stroke Association has established Act FAST, a simple, life-saving method for detecting strokes.

F=Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A=Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one drift down?

S=Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is their speech slurred?

T=Time: If you find any of these symptoms, call 911 or get to the nearest stroke center immediately.

Receiving treatment within three hours can greatly reduce the risk of permanent damage. Time lost is brain lost.

What are TIAs:

About one third of strokes are preceeded by transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or mini-strokes. TIAs are brief episodes of stroke-like symptoms that may last any where from a few minutes up to 24 hours. They do not cause any permanent damage, but they are usually a warning of an impending stroke.

TIAs are caused by one of three things:

• Narrowing in a major artery to the brain resulting in low blood flow to brain cells
• Narrowing in a smaller blood vessel to the brain temporarily stopping blood flow
• A blood clot from another part of the body temporarily lodging in a blood vessel to the brain.

Steve had several TIAs a few months prior to his stroke, but he did not know what they were. He had three or four episodes of dizziness when he couldn’t focus his eyes. Once it happened while he was driving and he had to pull over to the side of the road. Another time he was at a diner for his morning coffee. Each TIA lasted 10-20 minutes and then went away leaving no lasting effect.

If you have had a TIA, you are at a high risk for a full stroke. Seek help immediately. There are medications that can help prevent blood clots from forming and reduce your risk of a stroke.

To learn more about TIAs, go to Talk About TIA.