10 Early Warning Signs of a Stroke Everyone Should Know
A stroke can happen suddenly, and every minute matters. The American Stroke Association recommends remembering B.E. F.A.S.T. to recognize the most important warning signs.
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1. Sudden loss of balance — New difficulty walking, coordination problems, or unexplained dizziness.
2. Sudden vision changes — Blurred or double vision, or loss of vision in one or both eyes.
3. Facial drooping or numbness — One side of the face may droop when the person smiles.
4. Sudden arm weakness or numbness — One arm may become weak or drift downward when both arms are raised.
5. Speech difficulty — Slurred speech, difficulty speaking, or trouble understanding what others are saying.
6. Sudden weakness or numbness in a leg — Particularly when it affects one side of the body.
7. Sudden confusion — An abrupt change in the ability to understand or communicate.
8. Sudden severe headache — Especially a severe headache with no known cause.
9. Sudden difficulty swallowing — Particularly when it appears together with other neurological symptoms.
10. Sudden severe dizziness or coordination problems — Especially when accompanied by vision, speech, weakness, or walking difficulties.
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What to do
Don’t wait to see whether the symptoms disappear. Call your local emergency service immediately and note the time the symptoms began. Even if the symptoms disappear, they could represent a TIA (transient ischemic attack), which still requires urgent assessment.
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In the United States, call 911. Elsewhere, use your local emergency number.
B.E. F.A.S.T. = Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time to call emergency services.
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