The 4 Warning Signs of a Stroke

By Catherine Van Der Weele
If someone near you was having a stroke, would you know what was happening? Would you recognise the signs? And more importantly, would you know what to do?
By the end of this article you will have the confidence to recognise the warning signs of a stroke and the knowledge will allow you to react calmly and quickly which can result in you saving the life of your loved one.
Sometimes a stroke can go by unnoticed. You will think you have had a little fall and that you just lost your balance in a clumsy moment of silliness. The truth of the incident will only come out hours later when you realise that you are still not feeling any better and there is something horribly wrong with you. If you are unsure and you are feeling a little strange after a fall, check the four symptoms below.
If you think you are witnessing a stroke but are not sure, these are the very simple steps to follow that will confirm or reassure your worries.
1) ask the man or woman who you suspect is having a stroke to raise both of their arms.
2) ask the man or woman to repeat a very simple sentence like "I am wearing a blue jersey today"
3) ask the man or woman to stick out their tongue
4) ask the man or woman to smile at you
A stoke victim cannot raise both of their arms steadily and a simple sentence will most likely become a jumble of mumbles and incoherent words. If they stick out their tongue it will most likely look twisted or fall to either the left or right, but they won't just be able to stick out their tongue straight at you.
The persons smile will look like they just came out of the dentist's office and half of their face is numb, it will be a half smile.
All four symptoms may not show, but if you can clearly see that any of the symptoms are there, don't risk it - take them to a hospital as soon as possible. You have a very short window of around three hours to get them the medical treatment they need.
A stroke can be lethal and it is better to rather be safe than just to ignore the symptoms.
Keep these four very simple steps in mind and you can very easily end up saving someone's life by just recognising the symptoms and getting them the help they need!