5 Early Warning Signs of a Stroke

Statistics indicate that over 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke yearly, with around 610,000 of them being new or first strokes, making it a dangerous disease.

This may cause the impairment of movement and sensation, language and speech, vision, eating and swallowing, cognitive ability, surroundings’ orientation and perception, self-care ability, sexual ability, emotional control, and bladder and bowel control.

Its severity differs based on the area, and cerebrum side affected.

Early recognition of stroke symptoms is crucial to ensuring effective and possibly life-saving treatment.

It also helps get immediate treatment, increasing recovery chances and preventing the long-term implications of stroke. This article outlines five early warning signs of stroke.

#1 Face drooping

Facial droop means your face doesn’t appear symmetrical, which may cause trouble opening your mouth or moving an eye. It occurs when the nerves in your face have damage which may be temporary or permanent, causing the facial muscles not to function properly. The facial droop may also occur when there’s damage in the part of the brain responsible for sending nerve signals to your facial muscles.

Although facial droop often gets better by itself, it may lead to a severe problem like stroke. There are two other conditions that are mistaken for stroke, including a brain tumor and Bell’s palsy, there’s a high misdiagnosis risk, increasing the aftereffects and reducing recovery chances. You can file a medical malpractice case for compensation if you’re wrongly diagnosed.

#2 Arm weakness

Arm numbness or weakness has various potential causes ranging from mild to severe. Sitting or sleeping in the wrong position may limit blood flow or exert extra pressure on a nerve, causing arm numbness. Nonetheless, unexplained or unusual numbness/ weakness may indicate a severe underlying health issue such as a stroke.

Consider getting an immediate checkup to rule out stroke because arm numbness could signify another illness, including hemiplegic migraine, herniated disk, heart attack, and more. In case of a stroke, the numbness may extend to one side of the face and a leg.

#3 Speech impairment

Speech impairment involves any signs that may cause difficulties with vocal communication. The speech could be slurred, hoarse, slowed, rapid, or stuttered. If you experience sudden speech difficulties, get immediate medical attention because this symptom can also be associated with other diseases, like apraxia, dysarthria, and spasmodic dysphonia. It can also help identify possibly life-threatening illnesses like stroke.

If you’re diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder impacting your ability to communicate and often caused by a stroke in the brain’s left side responsible for controlling speech and language, start treatment immediately to boost your recovery chances.

#4 Sudden, severe headaches

According to reports, about 7% to 65% of people with stroke experience some form of headache. The headache is usually sudden and severe. The pain’s location might depend on the area where the stroke is occurring. For instance, a stroke in the carotid artery may cause a headache on the forehead. A transient ischemic attack is a stroke that could be mistaken for a migraine because it happens unexpectedly and ends fairly fast.

#5 Dizziness

Dizziness could be a signal of a serious health issue like stroke. It isn’t easy for a physician to determine the severity of your dizziness. Nonetheless, other medical tests can help confirm or rule out the risk of stroke.

Endnote

Stroke is a deadly disease, but when recognized on time, it increases the potential for recovery. Familiarize yourself with these early stroke warning signs to detect it before it worsens.