10 early warning signs of a stroke
A stroke can occur suddenly, and rapid treatment can make a major difference. There isn’t always a long warning period beforehand, so don’t wait for symptoms to accumulate.
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Face drooping — one side of the face may suddenly become numb or droop.
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Arm weakness or numbness — especially sudden symptoms affecting one side.
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Leg weakness or numbness — particularly when it occurs suddenly or with other neurological symptoms.
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Slurred or unusual speech — words may become difficult to say clearly.
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Difficulty understanding speech — suddenly being unable to understand what someone is saying.
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Sudden vision problems — blurred, double, or lost vision in one or both eyes.
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Sudden dizziness or loss of balance — difficulty walking or coordinating movements.
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Sudden severe headache — especially a sudden, unusually intense headache without an obvious cause.
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Sudden confusion — difficulty knowing where you are, what you’re doing, or how to communicate.
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Sudden difficulty swallowing — this can occur with certain strokes and can create a choking risk.
🚨 Remember FAST
F — Face: Ask the person to smile.
A — Arms: Ask them to raise both arms.
S — Speech: Ask them to repeat a simple sentence.
T — Time: If there is any sudden abnormality, call emergency medical services immediately.
A TIA (“mini-stroke”) can produce similar symptoms that disappear after minutes or hours. Even if the person feels completely normal again, it requires urgent medical assessment because it can signal a risk of a subsequent stroke.
If symptoms are happening now, note when they started (or when the person was last known to be well), call emergency services, and don’t wait for them to resolve.
