Stroke Systems: Rapid Response And Recovery

Strokes can happen fast, and knowing the signs can make the difference between life and death. The American Heart Association and the National Stroke Association use the acronym FAST to educate the public on stroke detection: Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time to call emergency services. Stroke experts have also introduced an updated acronym, FASTER, which adds Stability and Eyes to the list of key indicators. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is crucial to act quickly and seek medical attention immediately.

Face drooping or numbness

A stroke can cause facial drooping and muscle weakness that affects the eyes, lips, and mouth on one or both sides of the face. The person's smile may appear uneven, and they may have difficulty smiling voluntarily or speaking clearly. The eyelids, cheeks, or corners of the mouth may droop or appear pulled down.

Facial drooping is a common symptom of stroke, which is why it appears in the F.A.S.T. acronym. F.A.S.T. is a helpful way to remember the warning signs of a stroke:

• F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the person's face droop or is it numb? Ask them to smile. Is their smile uneven?
• A = Arm Weakness – Is one of the person's arms weak or numb? Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S = Speech Difficulty – Is their speech slurred?
• T = Time to call 911 – Stroke is a medical emergency. Every minute counts. Call 911 immediately and note the time when the symptoms first appeared.

If someone is experiencing these symptoms, it is important to get them to a medical professional as soon as possible. Quick treatment is essential to prevent issues like disability or even death. While waiting for emergency services to arrive, you can administer first aid by ensuring the person's safety, noting the time symptoms began, and keeping them warm.

Arm weakness or numbness

• Herniated disc
• Poor circulation
• Nerve damage
• Dehydration
• Heart attack
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Cervical spinal stenosis
• Hemiplegic migraine

If you are experiencing arm weakness or numbness, it is important to seek medical attention, especially if you have a history of cardiovascular disease or other serious symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or confusion.

To determine if someone is having a stroke, remember the acronym BE FAST (balance, eyes, face, arm, speech, time). If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately as stroke is a medical emergency and every minute counts in terms of brain recovery.

Speech difficulties

A stroke is a medical emergency, and it is crucial to act fast to prevent death and long-term disability. The acronym BE FAST (balance, eyes, face, arm, speech, time) is a helpful way to remember the signs of a stroke. Speech difficulties, or slurred speech, are one of the key indicators of a stroke.

Communication problems are very common after a stroke, with around one-third of survivors experiencing issues with speaking, reading, writing, and understanding others. This is known as aphasia, a language disorder caused by damage to the parts of the brain that control speech and language. Aphasia does not affect intelligence, but it can make a person's speech jumbled, fragmented, or hard to understand. It can also cause difficulties with reading and writing.

Dysarthria is another condition that can result from a stroke, where the person is unable to control the muscles in their face, mouth, and throat, making it difficult to speak clearly. Their speech may become slurred or slow, or their voice may sound quiet.

Apraxia of speech is a similar condition, where the person cannot move the muscles in the face, mouth, and throat in the correct order when speaking, making it challenging for others to understand them.

Speech and language therapy can effectively treat communication problems caused by a stroke. A speech and language therapist can help improve speech, reading, and writing abilities and also teach alternative communication methods, such as gestures or electronic devices.

Time to call emergency services

Stroke is a life-threatening condition that demands immediate medical attention. It occurs when there is an interruption to the blood supply to the brain, which can happen when blood vessels are blocked or due to bleeding in the brain. Brain cells begin to die when starved of oxygen, which can lead to brain damage and death.

It is critical to act quickly if you or someone you know is experiencing stroke symptoms. The acronym BE FAST is a useful way to remember the signs of a stroke:

• Balance: Watch for a sudden loss of balance.
• Eyes: Look for a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes, or double vision.
• Face: Ask the person to smile and look for a droop on one or both sides of the face, indicating muscle weakness or paralysis.
• Arm: Ask the person to raise both arms. If they have one-sided weakness, one arm will drift downward.
• Speech: Strokes often cause a person to lose their ability to speak, slur their words, or have trouble finding the right words.
• Time: Time is critical. Call the emergency services immediately if you observe any of the above symptoms.

Call 911 (or your local emergency services number) immediately if you observe even one of the stroke symptoms in anyone, including yourself. On average, 1.9 million brain cells die every minute a stroke goes untreated. The quicker a stroke is treated, the more likely a person will recover without disability. Early treatment leads to higher survival rates and lower disability rates.

Balance issues

Loss of sensation in your legs can also cause balance issues. If you cannot feel your leg and foot, it becomes difficult to know how to move, and you will have to rely more on your vision to compensate for the lack of feeling. This can be tiring and increase your risk of slips, trips and falls.

Vision problems are common after a stroke, and these can also affect your balance. Problems can include difficulty focusing, double vision and eye movement issues. If you have hemianopia (missing part of your field of vision), you might not see obstacles in your way.

In addition, concentration problems can affect your balance. Moving around and keeping your balance may require more concentration after a stroke, and dealing with any situation that needs concentration could affect your balance. For example, you might find it difficult to walk and talk at the same time. Being in a busy environment, on an uneven surface, or having to make sudden changes in direction can also be challenging.

There are multiple rehabilitation therapies that can help improve balance after a stroke, including whole-body vibration, virtual reality, exercise, mirror therapy, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese exercise, and ankle-foot orthosis. Physiotherapists can recommend therapy or exercises to help improve your balance.

Frequently asked questions