Stroke

Symptoms

Stroke is an emergency. Every minute counts. If someone has symptoms of a stroke, call 911 right away. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the greater the damage and potential disability. Even for symptoms that go away quickly or don't cause pain, it's important to get to an emergency room as soon as possible. The success of most treatments depends on how soon a person is seen by a doctor in a hospital emergency room after symptoms begin .

The most common signs and symptoms include:

• Sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face, arm or leg - usually on one side of the body
• Loss of speech, or trouble talking or understanding speech
• Sudden blurred, double or decreased vision
• Dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination
• Difficulty swallowing
• Confusion, or problems with memory, spatial orientation or perception
• Seizures, fainting or blacking out
• A sudden, severe "bolt out of the blue" headache or an unusual headache, which may be accompanied by a stiff neck, facial pain, pain between the eyes, vomiting or altered consciousness (this may be a symptom of a bleeding or "hemorrhagic" stroke)