May is stroke awareness month, a time to build awareness of stroke warning signs and prevention. Nearly 800,000 strokes occur annually. In fact, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. Although stroke is associated with the older adults, it more often occurs in people under 65. Stroke is largely preventable and treatable, so it’s important for everyone to learn more about the warning signs and ways to prevent it.
Stroke occurs when a blockage stops the blood flow to the brain or when the blood vessel around the brain bursts. Stroke can cause paralysis or weakness on one side of the body, pain the in hands and feet, speech problems and more. Although there are demographic risk factors for stroke, there are things people can do to lower their risk including:
- ABCS of Health
- Aspirin Therapy – Consult with your doctor on taking aspirin
- Blood pressure – Keep your blood pressure under control. Be sure to check your blood pressure before taking birth control pills. High levels may increase your chances of stroke.
- Cholesterol – Manage your levels to keep your arteries in good condition.
- Smoking – Quit smoking – it can increase your risk of stroke.
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Regular exercise
- Healthy diet – low in sodium
- Prevent or control diabetes
- Limit alcohol intake (fewer than two drinks for men, one for women)
Warning Signs of Stroke
When responding to a stroke, every minute counts. Strokes can be hard to detect and the symptoms for women are unique. It can start with a headache and could then lead to hearing sounds in your head and overall confusion. Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke is critical to getting the treatment needed for recovery.
Strokes can progress quickly, so it’s important to act fast if you feel you are having symptoms. Here is a checklist if you or someone you know may be having a stroke -- using the acronym FAST:
F - Face - Check if your face is drooping or numb on one side. Check to see if the smile is uneven.
A - Arms – Check to see if you can raise both arms without any weakness and if one arm drifts
downward.
S - Speech – Check for slurred speech or difficulty forming words. Repeat a simple sentence, like
“the sky is blue,” to see if it is correct.
T - Time – Call 9-1-1 for help as soon as possible. Treatment within three hours of the first
symptoms can help reduce disability in the long term. Every 15 minute delay in a clot treatment can impact recovery of a stroke, so time is crucial.
Visit www.strokeassociation.org for more information on stroke.