Identifying Stroke Symptoms and Risk Factors
Early Diagnosis Increases Chances for Full Recovery
Oct 6, 2009
Although many symptoms of a stroke are similar to those of other diseases, the medical industry has narrowed it down to several clear indicators to look for.
Identifying the Symptoms of a Stroke – Use the FAST Method
The easiest way to remember the symptoms of a stroke is by using the acronym F.A.S.T. which stands for Face, Arms, Speech and Time.
- Face - Can the person smile? If so, is one side of their face drooping? This is an important indication of a stroke. If you notice it, bring it to the person’s attention as sometimes the person does not even realize they are experiencing facial numbness or paralysis.
- Arm - Can the person lift their arms completely over their head without experiencing pain? Can they hold their arms in that position for several seconds? Individuals suffering from a stroke will not be able to hold this position for very long. In addition, if one arm falls before the other, it shows that the person is experiencing weakness on one side of the body.
- Speech - Can the person talk clearly? Are they slurring their words? Also be aware of people whose speech is clear, but their words are slightly jumbled or out of order.
- Time - If a person is experiencing any of the above symptoms, or if you even suspect that they are, call 911 immediately.
Identifying Mini Strokes - Transient Ischemic Attacks
Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are small strokes that only last a few minutes or few hours. Many people have these prior to having a more severe stroke but they ignore the symptoms or brush them off as unimportant.
It is critical that individuals maintain an alertness to any symptom that is abnormal and seek medical attention for them. Take these abnormal symptoms very seriously as they are warning signs that something is wrong with body.
Risk Factors for a Stroke
The risk factors for a stroke are generally broken down into two categories: controllable risks and uncontrollable risks. The uncontrollable risk factors of stroke include: Age, gender, race, family history, and those who have had a previous stroke. The controllable factors of stroke include the following:
- High blood pressure - High blood pressure needs to be controlled. Don’t ignore it. To help reduce high blood pressure, eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight and exercise on a regular basis. If those techniques fail, prescription drugs are very effective at controlling blood pressure.
- Smoking - Smoking dramatically raises blood pressure, which in turn raises the risk of a stroke. This is an easy risk factor to eliminate by starting a smoking cessation program immediately.
- Alcohol -Men and women should have no more than one alcoholic drink per day. Drinking just two alcoholic drinks per day has been shown to increase the risk of stroke by 50%, according to stroke.org.
- Being Overweight -Obesity is a risk factor because it puts an overall strain on the body and because overweight people tend to have many of the above symptoms as well.
- Heart Disease - Individuals with heart disease need to work with their physician to manage it well.
The good news is that if stoke is detected early enough, usually within four to six hours, it can be treated and the patient has a very good chance of recovering completely.
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