The brain requires blood flow to function. When a blood vessel is blocked in the brain (Ischemic-known as a TIA) or starts to bleed (Hemorrhagic-a full on Stroke), you are at risk for severe and potentially permanent damage to the brain or death, if you do not act quickly.
As with many health issues, SYMPTOMS of a STROKE are often thought to be something else and get IGNORED. As strokes can cause serious brain damage, and is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., NOT IGNORING THE SIGNS OF STROKE is key to survival.
The VIDEO you are about to watch below, does a great job of explaining what actually happens when a stroke occurs, lifestyle modes that will help to prevent a stroke from happening, and most importantly it offers the acronym F.A.S.T. that will alert you to seek medical help immediately!
While certain symptoms such as:
(1) A BAD HEADACHE OR MIGRAINE or
(2) SUDDEN ONSET OF EXTREME FATIGUE can be a part of the onset of a STROKE, these signs can often be overlooked. However, the more concrete SIGNS of STROKE put out by “The American Stroke Association” symbolized by F.A.S.T. are:
(3) F for FACE DROOPING ON ONE SIDE
(4) A for ARM NUMB: if you have NUMBNESS OR WEAKNESS IN ONE ARM, for more than a few minutes, this is a critical warning sign. Strokes tend to affect one side of the body.
(5) S for SPEECH DIFFICULTY: When one side of the brain is affected by a Stroke, lack of blood supply can cause speech to be SLURRED or completely GARBLED. You may think that you are speaking clearly, but if someone with you says they can’t understand your speech, take it seriously!
(6) T for TIME: Time is of the essence; calling 911 immediately can mean the difference between PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE OR NOT, and LIFE or DEATH.
Additional SIGNS that SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED ARE:
(7) VISION DIFFICULTY IN ONE EYE: Seeing double or blurred vision in one eye often occurs when the brain is affected by a Stroke.
(8) CONFUSION or DIFFICULTY THINKING: When a stroke occurs, a part of your brain does not receive blood flow and therefore is STARVED OF OXYGEN which can cause you not to be able to think straight or to speak intelligibly.
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