Here are 10 early warning signs of a stroke everyone should know. Recognizing them quickly can help someone get urgent medical care and reduce the risk of serious brain injury.
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- This may affect the face, arm, or leg—especially on one side.
- Sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Slurred speech, confusion, difficulty finding words, or trouble understanding others can be warning signs.
- Sudden facial drooping
- One side of the face may feel weak or appear uneven, especially when smiling.
- Sudden vision problems
- Blurred vision, double vision, or loss of vision in one or both eyes can occur.
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
- A very intense headache that appears suddenly, sometimes described as the “worst headache ever,” may signal a stroke.
- Sudden dizziness, loss of balance, or difficulty walking
- Trouble coordinating movements or feeling unusually unsteady can be a warning sign.
- Sudden confusion or changes in mental awareness
- A person may seem disoriented, unable to answer simple questions, or unusually confused.
- Sudden difficulty swallowing
- Problems controlling muscles involved in swallowing can occur during a stroke.
- Sudden weakness or clumsiness in the hands or arms
- Dropping objects, inability to raise one arm, or unusual weakness should be taken seriously.
- Sudden nausea or vomiting (especially with other symptoms)
- These symptoms may accompany certain types of strokes, particularly when balance centers of the brain are affected.
Remember the FAST warning signs:
- F — Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side droop?
- A — Arms: Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift down?
- S — Speech: Ask them to repeat a simple sentence. Is speech strange or unclear?
- T — Time: If any of these signs appear, seek emergency medical help immediately.
Do not wait to see if symptoms go away. Some strokes have temporary symptoms (called a transient ischemic attack, or TIA), but they can be a warning sign of a more serious stroke. Fast treatment can make a major difference.
