Your Wellness with NorthBay Health Experts

Your Wellness is a blog focused on general health topics and information from NorthBay's excellent cadre of health care professionals.

Learn the Signs of Stroke and Act F.A.S.T.

May 18, 2018
 

A stroke occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off due to either blockage from a clot or a blood vessel that ruptures. When this happens, brain cells die due to a lack of blood and oxygen to that part of the brain.

According to the American Stroke Association, approximately 800,000 people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke every year. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the No. 1 cause of long-term disability, but also the leading cause of preventable disability, so when a stroke happens, every second counts, says Beth Gladney, R.N., manager of the NorthBay Stroke Program. Nearly 2 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated, but knowing the signs of stroke and thinking "F.A.S.T" to get help quickly can help save a life.

F.A.S.T. is a quick and easy way to help identify the signs and symptoms of a stroke, explained Gladney.

F stands for Facial droop. "You can ask the person to smile and check to see if the smile is uneven, and also ask them if one side is numb," said Gladney.

A stands for Arm weakness. "Ask the patient to raise both of their arms and look to see if one arm drifts down, or if the person complains of numbness on one side," Gladney explained.

S stands for Speech difficulty. "When the person speaks, listen to hear if the speech is slurred or difficult to understand," said Gladney. "Sometimes a person may have a sudden loss of speech as well and not be able to get the words out that they are trying to say. "

T stands for Time - as in, time to call 911. "If someone looks like they are having a stroke, it is important to call 911 to ensure they get to the hospital quickly," said Gladney. "Calling 911 allows EMS to begin treating the individual and call ahead to the hospital so that the team can be ready when the stroke victim arrives." She advised to call 911 even if the symptoms go away as it could mean its a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which has the same symptoms of a stroke although usually only lasts a short time and can be a warning sign that a stroke will occur.

Other symptoms of stroke that are important to know include: Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially if it occurs on one side of the body; sudden confusion; difficulty speaking or understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing either in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking; dizziness or loss of balance; and sudden severe onset of headache with no known cause.

"If any of these symptoms occur, call 911 immediately," Gladney said. "It is important to take note of the time when the symptoms started and to give that information to EMS."

In addition to knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke, it is also important to know that about 80 percent of strokes can be prevented by knowing all the risk factors for stroke and controlling the ones that pertain to you.

A few ways to reduce the risk of stroke include knowing your health numbers such as blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and blood sugar, or if you have a heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Work with your healthcare provider to manage these numbers. If you smoke, then you should stop smoking to decrease your risk of stroke. Eating a healthy low-sodium, low-fat diet, getting physically active and maintaining a healthy body weight can all help decrease your risk of stroke.

For more information on stroke from the American Stroke Association, visit: http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/About-Stroke_UCM_308529_SubHomePage.jsp.

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