RECOGNIZING A STROKE

[ZacK]

[Editor's note: Article selected for http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/recognizing-stroke.]


Adapted from an email chain... For those who may not have seen this before.

STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters... S.T.R.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the \"3\" steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S * Ask the individual to SMILE .
T * Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny today)
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

*NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 995 immediately, and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

[GreenQ]

I guess it is very very important to be able to recognize the symptoms of <a href=\"http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/stroke/Pages/Strokesymptoms.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Stroke: spot the symptoms\">stroke</a> of our dear family members and friends if something unwanted like that really happened.


Indeed it wld make a big difference. Deaths and long term disabilities could be avoided if we could spot the symptoms and seek immediate treatment.

I have a close ex-colleague (we both graduated fr same university) who was 24 yrs old when she became a stroke victim! She was just starting her beautiful life not long after graduated when that incident happened! Now she is still single and not working. Most of the time she stays home to help around taking care of her niece or nephew.

Her face has fallen on one side. Her left eye and mouth both drooped. Her left hand and leg unable to coordinate well. So she was unable to walk properly... Today, even after many yrs of physiotherapy courses have been taken, the above symptoms only improved a bit. She has not fully recovered yet.

Actually her family has sent her to Changi Hosp immediately right after she fell down in toilet suddenly. But non of her family member noticed/suspected/spotted that she has symptoms of stroke at that young age! Then she has been transferred to TTSH to do major operation to remove blood clot fr her brain after spending few hours in Changi Hosp.

Think back... She was a healthy, active and outgoing lady. Sometimes she has headache too but not very often. But I think its common to anyone who faces mountain of work load...

Her story has great impact on me in many aspects. She never came back to office and talked to me in normal way since that incident happened!

Thanks Zack for sharing this useful information!

[ZacK]

GreenQ:

Thanks Zack for sharing this useful information!

In some instances, life and death situation being one of them, it's never too kiasu to know more info :celebrate:

[Jona]

Yes, it is very important. Because my Dear Dad had stroke and severe Brain damage. He also had facial paralysis occasionally. He was in ICU for 4 days and expired. A death blow for us.


First PREVENTION from stroke very very important.

1. Check Blood Pressure and TREAT it. Untreated High Blood Pressure(BP) will shoot up suddenly when we get angry or excited, and takes a toll of our Dear ones lives causing severe brain damage.

2. Severe headaches have to be checked and treated.

3. Please for heaven's sake, if u feel something sad blocking ur chest, at least share with ur friends or close relatives and take it out, otherwise it may lead to High BP. Share ur issues with whom u feel v close.

4. Periodically visit Doctor. Change ur dosage according to the BP. Pain in hand or shoulders may be also be a symptom for on coming stroke.

My friend's brother 32 years old, was complaning high BP, pain in arms and shoulders. His symptoms were not taken seriously. And after a week he just collapsed with massive stroke, heart attack.

Take care of our Dear ones lives.

Love u all!

[ZacK]

Jona:

Yes, it is very important. Because my Dear Dad had stroke and severe Brain damage. He also had facial paralysis occasionally. He was in ICU for 4 days and expired. A death blow for us.


First PREVENTION from stroke very very important.

1. Check Blood Pressure and TREAT it. Untreated High Blood Pressure(BP) will shoot up suddenly when we get angry or excited, and takes a toll of our Dear ones lives causing severe brain damage.

2. Severe headaches have to be checked and treated.

3. Please for heaven's sake, if u feel something sad blocking ur chest, at least share with ur friends or close relatives and take it out, otherwise it may lead to High BP. Share ur issues with whom u feel v close.

4. Periodically visit Doctor. Change ur dosage according to the BP. Pain in hand or shoulders may be also be a symptom for on coming stroke.

My friend's brother 32 years old, was complaning high BP, pain in arms and shoulders. His symptoms were not taken seriously. And after a week he just collapsed with massive stroke, heart attack.

Take care of our Dear ones lives.

Love u all!

Thanks for your sharing Jona, sorry to hear about your dad... Mine too due to stroke a few years back, was in a coma and in ICU for almost 1 week and didnt manage to wake up.

[ZacK]

Extracted from 1 Oct's Mind Your Body:


One out of every eight stroke is preceded by a mild \"warning stroke\". This is what doctors call a transient ischemic attack or TIA, according to results of a Canadian study.

\"These results illustrate the need for better risk assessment tools for preventing strokes before they occur,\" said study chief Daniel G Hackam of the University of Western Ontario in London. \"Other studies have shown that up to 80% of strokes after TIA can be prevented when risk factors are managed intensively,\" he added.

Dr Hackam and his colleagues identified all people at Ontario hospitals with a diagnosis of stroke during a four year period. Of 16,400 patients identified, 12.4% had a mini warning stroke, or TIA, prior to the stroke. During TIA, stroke symptoms, which include facial, arm, leg weakness, slurred speech and confusion, last for less than 24hrs and then resolve.

Those who did not have a warning stroke were more likely to have a more serious stroke, the researchers found.

Those with no warning were also more likely to die or have a heart attack while at the hospital.

People with a warning stroke were typically older and also more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.

\"It is possible that blood vessels of those with warning strokes were preconditioned to the lack of blood flow, which protected them from the full result of the larger stroke,\" Dr Hackam said.

\"Any person who experiences even a minor stroke should get to the emergency room immediately.\"


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The take-away from this article I guess is... As long as you show symptoms of facial, arm, leg weakness and slurred speech and confusion... You should get yourself to the emergency room immediately and not brush it off when it resolves after awhile.