Recognizing the Beast

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It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of a stroke, so that you can call 9-1-1 as soon as the stroke symptoms begin to occur.

Men and women alike experience common symptoms such as: 

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg -- especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

However, according to the National Stroke Association women have certain distinctive stroke symptoms: 

• sudden hiccups
• sudden nausea
• sudden general weakness
• sudden chest pain
• sudden shortness of breath
• sudden palpitations

The National Stroke Association also recommends that you take the following steps if you believe that someone is experiencing a stroke:

F—FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A—ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S—SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?

T—TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.