We all think of stroke as something that people will recognize as soon as it starts to happen but that incorrect. Stroke is called the Silent Killer for a reason. It is something that can hit at any age. Whether in tip top shape or a junk food addict, strokes happen. Stroke: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment Here are a few stories: The Elderly Gentleman sitting in the pew in front of me at church. He seemed to nod off but when he started drooling and his wife could not wake him, paramedics were called. He had a stroke. My Father in his early 60’s. He kept complaining that his arm hurt. He couldn’t remember how he hurt it. By the end of the evening his whole arm hurt, he kept moving it around trying to work out the pain. He kept saying it was just a sprain or something. Next morning he couldn’t move. He had a stroke. A 21 year old girl. She had been having medical issues. She woke up with a numb arm. Thinking she may have slept on it tried to get ready, by the time her roommates got her to the clinic, she was slurring her words and having trouble walking. The nurse said she was just anxious but the doctor recognized the signs. I was having a stroke. The signs of stroke were there with all the stories above but many people think they hurt their arm or are just not feeling right and the people around them were not reading the signs. Please note, these symptoms can develop over hours or days. The acronym B. E. F.A.S.T. is a way to remember the signs of stroke, and can help identify the onset of stroke more quickly: Balance- Sudden loss of balance and coordination Eyes- Sudden double or blurred vision Face drooping - if the person tries to smile does one side of the face droop? Arm weakness - if the person tries to raise both their arms does one arm drift downward? Speech difficulty - if the person tries to repeat a simple phrase is their speech slurred or strange? Time to call 911 - if any of these signs are observed, contact the emergency services. Also another sign is a sudden, severe headache which may also include vomiting. Please memorize these signs of stroke. I am sure many here have family, friends or themselves that have experienced a stroke. The faster the signs are recognized the quicker they can get to help. This is something that was taught in my First Aid class. They stressed B.E.F.A.S.T. One can also have a ministroke, also known as transient ischemic attack (TIA), symptoms are temporary and usually improve within one or two hours. In this case, you may blame sudden symptoms on stress, a migraine, or nerve problems. If you or someone you know has these symptoms but they disappear, please call the doctor. A ministroke can lead up to the real thing.
There are a lot more subtle signs that most are not aware of. Tingeing sensations in the arms and/or legs, light headedness with blurred vision, rapid eye movements, particularly in one eye. Rapid Ocular response and sensitivity to light, seeing white flashes, and headaches, loss of balance, or "slow" response of limbs to correct what feels like an imbalance, Feelings of vertigo, that may increase in intensity and include head aches and nausea, intense head aches that cause vomiting and loss of vision in one or both eyes. Swelling of one or both eyes, and intense pain surrounding the eye(s), Blacking out!!! One that my wife caught with my Dad was his left eye was hyper dilating, and a fumbling, loss of dexterity with his hands, followed by slurred speech!!! Lucky for us, Dad was already in the E.R. because of Mom, and he ended up in the I.C.U. in the bed next to her, where they still are tonight!!! The Eyes are one of the best ways to tell there is something wrong, and if your vision changes or things in your head feel funny, get to the emergency room fast!
Good information. My Dad died in 2010 from a heart condition , he had a triple bypass years earlier. He had started feeling bad on a Tuesday night, Friday morning he went to the hospital. While at the hospital, he kept having spells of rapidly rising heartbeats . They said his heart was pumping at around 16 %. I didn't even know you could live with such a low heart working capacity. They said he was getting better and probably go home Monday or Tuesday. But it didn't work out, he died on Monday morning. But these are good symptoms to look for. Thanks for posting.
@Ura-Ki thank you for adding the other signs to look for. That is great information and I know you have a good source. If Mrs. Ura-Ki has other info it would be welcomed.
My sister had knee surgery and had a blood clot got to her brain and she had one survived that came home had another one got to her heart and brain and she has survived that too she walks a little slower take her time when talking but she is still as sharp as ever still hunts by her self but let's people know when and where she is hunting
Head Trauma is a BIG one! If you get your bell rung, there is a good chance of suffering a mild stroke. Depending on where and how hard, a good knock can trigger something serious, rule of thumb, if you experience any thing that doesn't feel normal, or you notice any of the above symptoms, Get to the E.R. Ricky Tick Right Quick And In A Hurry Like!!!!! If you are knocked unconscious, if you have on going head aches, funky vision that doesn't clear up right away, feeling sick, or actually vomiting, and loss of motor skills, you got more serious problems, you ARE likely suffering a stroke and not JUST a concussion!!! Special note, Vomiting is the surest sign of a serious head trauma and you do not have very much time to act before permanent damage occurs!!!! Swelling, increased blood pressure, loss of vision will follow, and your chances wane with every second lost!
Anytime someone is knocked unconscious, they have a 6% chance of developing a subdural hematoma. That's blood pooling on the brain. It will slowly and steadily shut down the vital functions.There may be no symptoms at first. The person may just get drowsy. If they are allowed sleep, they'll probably wake up dead. After a KO, a fighter is supposed to be watched closely and constantly for the next 24 hours. He may be woke up every 15 minutes through the night just to make sure he isn't fading out. One of the red flags for a brain injury is when they come back from the KO, and then pass out again a few minutes later. ER time, for sure.
My brother had a stroke in his 40's and it is a tough row to hoe But on the other side my mother had a massive stroke at 92 and die within a minute or so and I was thankful that it was quick and painless two sides of the same coin
My wife an I were primary care givers for the neighbors next door, and my wife recognized that the woman was having a stroke, and we took her to the hospital . She was there two weeks before they finally decided that yes she was in fact having a stroke . Some times medical professionals are not all that alert. You need to be your own best physician .
Ok, here is our family's Stroke Story.... Our oldest daughter, (the Master in Clinical & Forensic Psychology, and Autism Clinical Director) was giving a Lecture on how to diagnose Autism, in very young Children, to a Hospital Staff in Texas, in an out- building next to a Major Trama Center... She was about 10 Minutes into the lecture, and was trying. To make a Critical Point, when she started feeling a bit "Funny" and was having a hard time getting her thoughts across... A few of the MDs & RNs in the front row, got real concerened, when her speech started to slur, and she wasn't making a lot of sense... One NeroSurgeon recognized the issue, right off, called across the street, to the ER, and had them respond, with a gurney, and the Clot Busting Meds... She was up in the Cat Scanner within 10 minutes, and then over to the MRI, IN LESS THAN 30 minutes.... They saved her life from that Stroke, and she has subsequently changed some of her MEDs, to preclude a repeat incident... The quick response, with the correct Diagnosis, was the key to her recovery within 24 hours, and identifying the cause, so no repeats was also a Great advantage... The lesson here for her was, " If your going to have a Stroke, do it right next to a Trama Center, while speaking to a bunch of smart MDs & RNs"...
When your Grand Daughter tells you your singing the wrong words to alouette, and little bird (skylark) becomes Vögelchen. Sometimes it is only the most observant that realize you are in jeopardy. Ach,du lieber Augustin. Latter she took the time to teach me the lyrics to Alouette in both French & English again.
Last year, I was coughing up bloody pleghm.... doctor told me to to go to the VA and get a cat scan (which was DENIED) Then missing words, then word/picture association went scewy.... THEN, FLASH, start losing balance, falling, weak in my arn strengtg hands/hinge joint (saccroillliac), then fell out of the bath tub... ,then fell int the gas heater.... (Get dressed buddy, you're going to the doctor, says wife. Only this time, she called the emergency line at the VA (within 72 hours of 'life threatening event) and now it appears, I had the instant authorization code under VA Choice to go to the local emergencgy room, which contains full 5star emergent trauma cener for strokes and 'other' like mine. (The closest VA hospital is 140mi away, so, by the new black letter law, they had to release me to closest civilian care... Thanks Mr. Trump. The Real Deal here is that Trump, havin fired over 500 of these VA rug rats that gummed up the works, got me a free ticket into the local 5 star cancer center. Where, even they misdiagnosed it as a stroke. After my wife went home the whole team came back in and gave me the bad news.... somehow, it was'nt bad news to me, it was a full release, no regrets, one foot in the grave and a smile on my face..... the doctors couldn't undertstand, they thought I was confused..... no confusion. Becarefull of initial diagnoses,, mine frist appeared as a massive stroke w/17 brain 'lesions', now, after a month in patient (whew), I was having metacizing lung cancer into the brain... It took them a month just to figure out 'exactly' what we were dealing with, which all I know is the word is nonsmall celll, non aggressive... so maybe after I done/w radio and chemo, we have a long while to get it alll together for wife and others.... I know now, this is the beginning of 'THE RIDE.... to inlude immunotheeapty, gene therapy, along with naturaopatchic ph therapty, food thereapy, like gradmama used to say you ARE what you eat... Good luck, this is bagpiper slowly disconnecting from this evil world.... (Forgive my slurring fingers..) and God Blessings to all those on there who are called freind.
@bagpiper , I am saddened and unsettled having read your post, and frankly, I have taken some time to consider how to respond.. The only response that seems appropriate is, you will be in my thoughts and prayers..
Take all the prayhers, keep any synpathy, God bless ya'll.... I get out of this life with no reqrets, and that's a A LOT.
