A stroke is labled as a "silent killer" because it does not show any symptoms. Stroke patients do not even realize that there is something wrong with their health until they suffered a stroke. This often leaves them paralyzed or with a lifelong disability, while there are some who immediately die.
Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, and it is the second-leading cause of death around the world. Learning the early warning signs of a stroke is important in order to minimize the consequences of suffering it.
Studies show that men have a higher chance of suffering a stroke than women, and the older you get, the higher the chance is. People who are diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease are also at risk.
Your first priority when dealing with a stroke is to get help and get proper treatment as fast as possible. This is a matter of life or death, so every second counts. You also have to remember that once you suffer a stroke, oxygen is not distributed to your brain, and there is a lack of blood flow. This can potentially damage your brain.
When a blood vessel that brings oxygen to your brain is blocked, or it bursts open, you suffer a stroke. The lack of oxygen immediately kills the brain cells that the vessel serves, and the part of your body that the brain cells control stops working. If the blood vessel is blocked for a couple of seconds, then you will undergo a transient ischemic attack, which is a mini-stroke or a warning stroke. But even though they do not affect you, this is a major warning sign that a major stroke is about to happen.
It is best that you know the early signs of a stroke so you can get yourself or your loved ones the treatment that they need in the fastest possible time, and you can prevent any major stroke event.
The first thing that you will feel is numbness in your arm, leg, and face. This numbness usually happens on just one side of your body. Since human brains control each side of its bodies from a separate hemisphere, stroke affects half of your body.
Stroke is caused by the lack of blood flow in the brain, so your way of thinking will be affected. You may feel suddenly confused, or you may have problems understanding people when they talk to you. If this happens, you need to get checked immediately.
An area of your brain that manages your vision can be affected by stroke so that you may experience a sudden loss of vision in one or both of your eyes. You will also feel sudden dizziness and difficulty in walking. You may even lose your coordination or balance. The thing that you need to remember is that all of these symptoms happen suddenly. You may be feeling okay, and suddenly, you'll feel a severe headache with no cause.
If any of these early signs happens to you, it is best to get checked by a doctor. Even if the symptoms go away, it is important that you still get help. You must also take note of the symptoms so you can track them and know immediately what to do if it happens again.
