Self-Help Tips: Stroke Warning Signs
Partially adapted from the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada, but as many as 60 per cent of stroke patients are discharged from the hospital to home or to rehabilitation.
Strokes seem to appear suddenly and transform the lives of survivors. They affect all ages: children, youth, adults and older adults and sometimes seemingly healthy individuals. People who have survived stroke are also susceptible to another brain attack, with 20 per cent experiencing a second stroke within two years.
But the life-threatening and life-changing effects can often be reduced with quick action during the onset of stroke. This is why everyone ? survivors, caregivers and everyone else ? should be aware of the following:
Stroke warning signs
Sudden experience of one or more of the following may mean you are having a stroke:
- Weakness, numbness or tingling in the face, arm or leg
- Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
- Loss of vision , particularly in one eye, or double vision
- Severe and unusual headache
- Dizziness or loss of balance , especially with any of the above signs
What to do in case of stroke
Call 911 immediately if you suspect you or someone else is having a stroke.
The passage of time can often worsen the effects of stroke. Newer treatments such as Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) can only be administered immediately after the onset of stroke.
For more information about stroke statistics, prevention and management, please visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation. For information about stroke rehabilitation at St. John's Rehab Hospital and our community wellness clinics, please call us at 416-226-6780 or e-mail us.
These self-help tips are not intended as a substitute for medical advice from a health professional.