10 Warning Signs of a Stroke
A stroke usually develops suddenly, so recognizing symptoms and acting quickly is crucial.
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Sudden numbness or weakness, particularly on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
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Facial drooping or an uneven smile.
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Sudden slurred or unclear speech.
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Difficulty understanding speech or suddenly being unable to find words.
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Sudden vision loss or double vision.
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Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance.
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Sudden loss of coordination.
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Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
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Sudden confusion or difficulty understanding what is happening.
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Sudden difficulty swallowing or other new neurological symptoms.
Remember BE FAST
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B — Balance: sudden loss of balance
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E — Eyes: sudden vision changes
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F — Face: facial drooping
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A — Arm: arm weakness
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S — Speech: speech difficulty
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T — Time: call emergency medical services immediately
Don’t wait for symptoms to disappear. Even symptoms that resolve after a few minutes may be a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and require urgent medical assessment.
If someone is experiencing these symptoms right now, seek emergency medical care immediately and record the time symptoms began (or the last time they were known to be well).
