According to the American Heart Association, more than 795,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. Despite medical advances, stroke remains a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States and takes another life every three minutes and 11 seconds.
Fortunately, you can help protect yourself and those you love. It starts by watching for the signs of a stroke.
“Time is so important with a stroke,” says Beaufort Memorial Stroke Coordinator Andrea Zeman. “The faster you recognize the signs and seek treatment, the better the outcome can be.”
Not sure what to look for with a stroke? Keep reading to increase your stroke knowledge, so you feel prepared for whatever comes your way.
Read More: Five Ways to Help a Stroke Survivor
Three Types of Strokes
While strokes come in different forms, each stops blood flow from reaching the brain. The three types are:
- Ischemic stroke - You may experience this type of stroke if enough cholesterol, fat and other substances build up inside a blood vessel and stop blood from reaching the brain. It can also occur if a blood clot in one part of the body comes loose and gets stuck in a vessel that feeds the brain.
- Hemorrhagic stroke - A blood vessel in your brain weakens. It then breaks open and spills blood into the area around the brain. This type of stroke is less common than ischemic stroke.
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA) - Also called a mini-stroke, a TIA often serves as a warning. If you don’t make lifestyle changes after a TIA, you may experience a full-blown stroke in the future.
Read More: Nothing Mini About Ministrokes: What to Know About TIAs
BE FAST: Signs of a Stroke
No matter what kind of stroke you have, you will likely experience the telltale signs. To recognize these symptoms, you must “BE FAST” – Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time.
- Balance - Stroke can cause loss of balance or coordination. You may fall or have a hard time with motor control.
- Eyes - You may notice sudden vision issues, such as losing sight in one or both eyes.
- Face - Stroke often causes one side of the face to droop or feel numb. If you ask the person to smile, a stroke may cause the smile to be uneven.
- Arms - One arm may become numb or weak. To detect a stroke, ask the person to raise both arms. If one drifts downward, it may be a stroke.
- Speech - Stroke can cause slurred speech that results in difficulty speaking clearly.
- Time - Anytime you notice these symptoms of stroke, it’s a medical emergency. Call 911 immediately.
Other Signs and Symptoms of Stroke
Along with BE FAST, there are additional signs of stroke. A few to look out for include:
- Headache - A sudden, severe headache may set in with no known reason.
- Language loss - Along with slurred speech, you may have other language problems. You may have a hard time forming sentences or understanding what others say to you.
- One-sided symptoms - With stroke, you lose blood flow to one side of the brain. When this occurs, symptoms affect the other side of the body. One arm, leg or side of your face or body may go numb or become weak.
Read More: Stroke Recovery: What to Expect on the Road Ahead
Expert Stroke Care in Your Backyard
Beaufort Memorial holds Advanced Certification as a Primary Stroke Center. We’ve also earned national recognition from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for our stroke care and post-stroke care and treatment that save lives and improves long-term outcomes.
In addition to our dedicated stroke team, we have a stroke telemedicine program and affiliation with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC Health). This combination allows us to provide fast evaluation and treatment for those experiencing stroke. With our telestroke program, our emergency room and intensive care providers have immediate, around-the-clock access to MUSC stroke care experts for urgent consultation. This allows emergency providers in Charleston to virtually examine patients and review brain-imaging studies.
“This partnership is vital, because every minute a stroke goes untreated, you lose two million brain cells,” Zeman says. “Also, medical treatment for stroke is most effective when administered within a few hours of stroke symptoms starting. So, there’s really no time to wait.”
Miss Glenda’s Stroke Story
When Beaufort Memorial Health Information Services specialist Glenda Arbuckle arrived at work, everything was ordinary. That all changed in a flash. Though she could move her arms and legs, Arbuckle lost her ability to talk or even make a sound.
“I couldn’t make anything happen,” Arbuckle says. “My brain was not functioning.”
Thankfully, a coworker recognized Arbuckle’s abnormal symptoms. In a few minutes, Arbuckle was undergoing a CT scan to see what was happening in her blood vessels.
Emergency Department personnel then reached out to neurologists at MUSC Health for a second opinion. After virtually evaluating her condition, a MUSC Health physician confirmed Arbuckle was experiencing a stroke.
Read More: ‘You stay right there, Miss Glenda. We got you’
Once diagnosed, Arbuckle received clot-busting medication. Shortly afterward, blood flow to her brain was restored, and she began talking. That evening, her speech was almost fully recovered. In fact, she recovered so well that she returned home the next day.
“The care was excellent,” Arbuckle says. “I felt very comfortable from the very beginning. Everyone knew what they had to do.”
Minimize the Risk for Stroke Signs
Even if you’ve had a stroke in the past, you can reduce your risk factors for future strokes. Lower your risk with the following:
- Eat a healthy diet. High cholesterol or blood pressure increases your stroke risk. Lower your risk by limiting salt intake and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoiding trans and saturated fats and cholesterol.
- Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes of daily exercise helps. It improves your cardiovascular health and lowers your cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Take your medicine. If you have diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure or cholesterol, take medication as prescribed to manage the condition.
To assess your risk of stroke, consider our complete vascular screening package or find a board-certified neurologist anytime online.