Recognizing the early signs of a stroke is important because prompt treatment can save brain tissue and improve recovery. If you think someone is having a stroke, call your local emergency medical services immediately—do not wait to see if symptoms go away.
Common warning signs of a stroke
- Sudden weakness or numbness
- Especially on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
- Face drooping
- One side of the face may droop or feel numb. Ask the person to smile.
- Arm weakness
- Ask the person to raise both arms. One arm may drift downward.
- Difficulty speaking
- Slurred speech, trouble finding words, or difficulty understanding others.
- Sudden vision changes
- Blurred vision, double vision, or loss of vision in one or both eyes.
- Sudden severe headache
- Especially if it is unlike previous headaches and comes on abruptly.
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Trouble walking, dizziness, or unexplained falls.
- Confusion
- Sudden difficulty understanding or responding appropriately.
- Difficulty swallowing
- New trouble swallowing can occur with some strokes.
- Sudden numbness or tingling
- Particularly if it affects one side of the body.
Remember FAST
A simple way to recognize many strokes is the FAST test:
- F – Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side droop?
- A – Arms: Ask them to raise both arms. Does one drift down?
- S – Speech: Is speech slurred or unusual?
- T – Time: Call emergency medical services immediately.
Even if symptoms disappear after a few minutes, they could be a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is a warning sign that a stroke may occur soon. It still requires urgent medical evaluation.
The sooner a stroke is treated, the greater the chance of reducing permanent brain damage and disability.
