A stroke can happen suddenly, and recognizing the warning signs quickly can save brain function and potentially a life. The most important thing is not to wait for all 10 signs—even one sudden stroke symptom warrants emergency evaluation.
10 warning signs to know
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Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side.
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Facial drooping or an uneven smile.
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Sudden difficulty speaking, slurred speech, or trouble finding words.
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Sudden difficulty understanding what other people are saying.
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Sudden vision changes, including blurred, double, or lost vision.
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Sudden severe dizziness or loss of balance/coordination.
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Sudden difficulty walking or unexplained clumsiness.
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A sudden, severe headache with no obvious cause, particularly if accompanied by vomiting or neurological symptoms.
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Sudden confusion or a significant change in alertness.
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Sudden difficulty swallowing or unexplained choking.
🚨 Remember BE-FAST
B — Balance suddenly affected
E — Eyes: sudden vision changes
F — Face: one side droops
A — Arm: weakness/numbness
S — Speech: difficulty or slurring
T — Time: call emergency services immediately
Even if symptoms disappear after a few minutes, it could be a TIA (“mini-stroke”), which still requires urgent medical assessment.
Don’t drive yourself to the hospital and don’t wait to see whether it gets better. Note the time the symptoms started (or the last time the person was known to be well), because that information can affect treatment decisions.
