How To Recognize Stroke Warning Signs And Prevent Damage

Jul 25, 2018 by apost team

Learn how to recognize the warning signs of a stroke and help to prevent its damaging effects on the body. Make sure you are prepared in the event of a possible stroke and know how to handle the situation properly.

How Do Strokes Occur?

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The World Health Organization claims that strokes are the third most deadly situation you can find yourself in. Most warning signs for strokes are unfortunately overlooked. Let's go over the basics of this illness that can help prepare you and hopefully prevent it. There are two forms of stroke: a hemorrhagic stroke and an ischemic stroke. Ischemic strokes usually have no visible symptoms and are have no noticeable warning signs. Ischemic strokes account for 80 percent of sufferers, with a 37 percent death rate, 31 percent of survivors require constant assistance, and 20 percent can't walk on their own after an event.

Strokes occur when you have a blood clot that blocks blood flow to a part of your brain which causes swelling and gives you a headache.

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What Happens During A Stroke?

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Your entire body can suffer from it almost immediately. Your arms and legs can go limp, you can lose sight, lose the ability to hear, and even hallucinate. After a while, your circulation goes back to normal and the headache goes away, but your nervous system may never recover completely. Strokes can make you forget what happened yesterday, or forget cherished memories from your childhood. In worst case scenarios, You'll become disabled. Thankfully, you can help prevent this from happening to you.

Warning Signs

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  • Numbness in the face and limbs on one side of your body
  • Unable to talk or confused speech
  • Dizziness and trouble walking
  • An instant extreme headache
  • Muscle tension in the back of the head
  • Vomiting following headache
  • Darkness around the eyes
  • Looking at something a long time for no reason

Always contact a doctor if you suspect you may be suffering a stroke. These warning signs are a general guide but may be due to other health problems.

If Someone Is Having A Stroke

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  • Ask them to smile and see if there face looks normal.
  • Have them raise their arms and see if they are level
  • Ask them to repeat a simple sentence and check for confused speech.

If you notice any symptoms, get to a hospital immediately. The first hour is the most damaging. Call emergency services and follow their instructions.

Strokes can cause a lot of damage to you or your loved ones in a very short amount of time. Don’t find yourself unprepared in emergency. If this guide was helpful, or if you know someone who has suffered from a stroke, spread stroke awareness and help your friends with this easy guide.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!