10 Early Warning Signs of a Stroke Everyone Should Know
A stroke is a medical emergency. Recognizing the signs quickly can reduce the risk of permanent brain damage. Symptoms often appear suddenly, and you should seek emergency medical help immediately if they occur.
-
Sudden numbness or weakness — especially in the face, arm, or leg, particularly on one side of the body.
-
Sudden trouble speaking — slurred speech, difficulty finding words, or difficulty understanding others.
-
Sudden facial drooping — one side of the face may feel numb or droop when smiling.
-
Sudden vision problems — blurred, double, or lost vision in one or both eyes.
-
Sudden severe headache — particularly a sudden, unusually intense headache with no obvious cause.
-
Sudden dizziness or loss of balance — difficulty walking, coordination problems, or unexplained dizziness.
-
Sudden confusion — difficulty understanding what is happening or following simple instructions.
-
Sudden difficulty swallowing — choking or an unexpected inability to swallow normally.
-
Sudden weakness or clumsiness on one side — for example, suddenly dropping objects or being unable to raise one arm normally.
-
Sudden difficulty walking — stumbling, unsteadiness, or an abrupt inability to walk normally.
Remember BE-FAST
-
B — Balance: Sudden loss of balance or coordination
-
E — Eyes: Sudden vision changes
-
F — Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side droop?
-
A — Arms: Ask them to raise both arms. Does one drift downward?
-
S — Speech: Ask them to repeat a simple sentence. Is their speech slurred or unusual?
-
T — Time: Call emergency medical services immediately.
Don’t wait for symptoms to disappear. Even if the symptoms improve after a few minutes, they may indicate a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which also requires urgent medical evaluation.
