How to Spot a Stroke
By: Michelle Kicherer of www.BananaPitch.com
Do you know how to spot a stroke? There are many health conditions that we may have that we don’t realize until later: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and vitamin deficiencies. But with some health conditions like a stroke, time is of the essence.
We may think something is wrong and not act quickly enough, and as every minute passes, more oxygen is cut off from the brain and more damage occurs. It is one thing to experience symptoms and feel that something is wrong in your own body, but how do you tell that something is wrong with someone with dementia?
The American Stroke Association has an acronym to make it easier to remember: FAST.
F-face: is their face drooping on one side?
A-arm weakness: ask if their arm is tingling or weak. Have them raise both arms, is one arm drooping more than the other?
S-speach difficulty: is their speech blurry or difficult to understand? Ask them to repeat a simple sentence, does it sound like how they would normally speak?
T-time to call 911: if they show any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately.
There is more information on what a stroke is, and the warning signs on The American Stroke Association’s website. You can also read more about what a stroke is on Stroke.org.
Stay tuned for our next article, on how caregivers can help a stroke victim recover and stay healthy.
