Knowing The Early Warning Signs Of A Stroke

A cerebral vascular accident (CVA) or stroke, as it is more commonly known, can be a very dehabilitating event in a person s life. There are many things that contribute to or cause a stroke and a person should try as they get older to take care of issues in their life that will be contributory. Another key to decreasing the dehabilitating effects of a stroke is to know and understand the early warning signs of a stroke and to know what to do in the event of a stroke.

Early warning signs of a stroke are not hard to learn about and recognize. Because a stroke is a brain attack that causes disruption in the blood flow the early warning signs of a stroke will be related to functions of the brain. The brain is the nerve center and coordinator of all body functions. When a person has a stroke there will be some type of problem in coordination or ability to function. This is the basic theme in understanding and knowing early warning signs of a stroke. If a person suddenly has a problem in any area of their body function and coordination it can be an early warning sign of a stroke and should be addressed by a physician immediately.

Common Early Warning Signs Of A Stroke

While a stroke can cause problems anywhere in the body there are some common symptoms of stroke that a person should become familiar with. Sudden weakness in any extremity, loss of movement or feeling, slurred speech or inability to understand what others are saying, sudden loss of vision, or a sudden severe headache may all be early warning signs of a stroke and need to be addressed by medical personnel. If one or more of these symptoms occurs there should not be any excuse or delay in getting treatment. With early medical treatment a person can have much better success at avoiding long term effects of the stroke.

If a person has early warning signs of a stroke there are a few important steps towards a good outcome. The most important thing for any person to do with the early warning signs of a stroke is to call 911. Getting emergency help is critical and as a stroke progresses a person may not be able to make the phone call for help. Getting to a phone and making the call is critical. Another thing that may help significantly is taking an aspirin. Many times the 911 operator or emergency personnel will advise a person take an Aspirin or give it to the person. People who are concerned about having a stroke may want to talk to their doctor in advance about taking an aspirin at the first early warning sign of a stroke.