Dear Readers,
In my last posting, I listed
the symptoms of heart attacks, and promised that in this one I would do the
same for strokes. So, here goes.
Symptoms of a stroke include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg,
especially on one side of the body - Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or
coordination - Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
If you have any of these symptoms, CALL 911
IMMEDIATELY. Remember the acronym
FAST! It stands for:
FACE: Is one side of the face drooping down?
ARM: Can the person raise both arms?
SPEECH: Is speech slurred or confusing? Is the person unable to speak?
TIME: Time is critical
The T for time in the word
FAST is of utmost importance. That is
because there is a treatment for stroke that can reduce long-term disability,
but ONLY IF IT IS ADMINISTERED WITHIN 3
HOURS OF THE INCIDENT. This
treatment is called PA (tissue plasminogen activator) and it is as close to a
miracle treatment that you can get.
Remember the initials PA, even if you are not from Pennsylvania. If you think you have had a stroke, ask your
medical providers about whether you need PA, and make sure they answer
you. It could save your life, or the
quality of your life. The CDC has more information on strokes.
So—knowledge is power, and
you are now armed with a lot of both.
Use this knowledge and power to protect your life for yourself, your
family, your friends, and for us here at NEA HIN. We care.
As always, Bette
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