Such a blockage causes damage to the brain cells that don’t get the oxygen and nutrition they need. It becomes apparent when the following symptoms happen:
- Slurring of the speech
- Incomprehensible speech
- Blurred vision
- General weakness
- Motor disturbance which can bring paralysis
- Numb limbs, loss of feeling
- Confusion and difficulty understanding conversation
- Sudden loss of balance or coordination
- Strong headaches with no reason and more symptoms
What are the main things that prevent blood from getting to the brain?
Doctors have identified 2 factors that cause a lack of blood to the brain: a blockage of the arteries which is called an ischemic stroke and internal bleeding which is called a bleeding stroke. Since the brain tissue is delicate these things cause it great damage very quickly.
What’s the fastest way to identify a stroke so you can administer treatment quickly?
The FAST test is the most popular method doctors want people to learn. Fast stands for: Face, Arms, Speech, and Time, which all help you diagnose what’s going on as it happens.
Face: Ask the person to smile; see if one side of his face is drooping or he’s having difficulty smiling.
Arms: Ask him to raise both arms and see if they’re both going up or only one or neither.
Speech: Ask him to speak to you and say a few sentences in a row. Listen to hear if he’s having difficulty with this.
Time: Time all the aforementioned tasks and see how they take to do or if he’s doing them especially slow, like slow speech or slow cumbersome movement.
If you find any of these symptoms take this person to the hospital without delay. Treatment can help minimize the damage to the brain and increase his quality of life for years to come.