Recognizing stroke warning signs quickly can save lives. A stroke is a medical emergency—getting treatment as soon as possible can reduce the risk of permanent damage.
A simple way to remember the main signs is BE FAST:
- B — Balance: Sudden dizziness, loss of coordination, or trouble walking.
- E — Eyes: Sudden vision changes, blurred vision, or loss of vision.
- F — Face: One side of the face droops or becomes numb. Ask the person to smile and check for unevenness.
- A — Arms: Sudden weakness or numbness in one arm or one side of the body. Ask the person to raise both arms.
- S — Speech: Slurred speech, difficulty speaking, confusion, or trouble understanding others.
- T — Time: Call emergency services immediately if any of these signs appear.
Other possible stroke warning signs include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg
- Sudden confusion or difficulty understanding speech
- Sudden trouble speaking or finding words
- Sudden vision problems in one or both eyes
- Sudden dizziness, loss of balance, or poor coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
- Sudden difficulty walking
- Sudden difficulty swallowing
- Fainting, collapse, or reduced alertness
- Symptoms that come and go (a possible transient ischemic attack, or “mini-stroke”
