Health 31/10/2025 17:07

🧠 A Stroke Can Happen Suddenly — But Your Body Might Send Early Warnings (Know the Signs)

✅Ischemic Stroke (87% of cases)	A clot blocks a brain artery — often due to plaque buildup or heart-related clots
✅Hemorrhagic Stroke (13%)	A blood vessel bursts in the brain — caused by high blood pressure, aneurysms, or trauma
✅Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)	Temporary blockage that clears on its own — no lasting brain damage, but a serious warning

⚠️ All types are medical emergencies — even if symptoms go away.

⚠️ The Real Warning Signs: Know FAST

Most strokes strike suddenly — but they follow a pattern. Use the FAST acronym to spot them:

F – Face Drooping	One side of the face sags or feels numb — ask the person to smile
A – Arm Weakness	One arm becomes weak or numb — can they raise both arms?
S – Speech Difficulty	Slurred speech, confusion, or trouble understanding words
T – Time to Call 911	Even if symptoms fade — call emergency services immediately

✅ Remember: "Time lost is brain lost."

If any of these occur suddenly, suspect stroke:

✅ Sudden severe headache	"Thunderclap" headache — common in hemorrhagic stroke
✅ Vision changes	Blurry or blackened vision in one or both eyes
✅ Dizziness or loss of balance	Especially if combined with other symptoms
✅ Confusion or trouble understanding	May be mistaken for intoxication or fatigue
✅ Numbness on one side	Often affects face, arm, or leg — especially if sudden

📌 These can happen in minutes, not weeks.

While most strokes happen without long-term warning, there are two key scenarios where early signs appear:

🩺 If you or someone has stroke-like symptoms that go away — still go to the ER.

These aren't "warning signs," but silent conditions that increase stroke risk over time:

💡 You won’t “feel” these — which is why regular check-ups are essential.

✅ Age over 55	Risk doubles every decade after 55
✅ High blood pressure	Damages arteries over time
✅ Heart disease or AFib	Clots can travel to the brain
✅ Smoking	Narrows blood vessels and raises BP
✅ Family history	Genetic predisposition plays a role
✅ Sedentary lifestyle	Contributes to obesity, diabetes, poor circulation

🩺 The good news? Up to 80% of strokes are preventable with lifestyle changes and medical care.

Control blood pressure	Most impactful step you can take
Manage diabetes	Keeps blood vessels healthy
Quit smoking	Within 2 years, stroke risk drops to near-normal
Eat a heart-healthy diet	Focus on vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins
Exercise regularly	Just 30 mins/day, 5 days/week helps
Limit alcohol	More than 1–2 drinks daily raises risk
Treat atrial fibrillation	Anticoagulants can prevent clots

💡 Tip: Ask your doctor about your stroke risk score — many clinics offer free screenings.

❌ “If symptoms go away, it wasn’t a stroke”	Dangerous myth — could be a TIA, which requires urgent care
❌ “Only older people get strokes”	False — rising in younger adults due to poor diet, obesity, vaping
❌ “Strokes happen slowly”	No — symptoms appear suddenly, not gradually
❌ “I’d know if I had high blood pressure”	Silent killer — often no symptoms until damage occurs