Recognize the Signs of a Stroke

I received this email on how to recognize a stroke from an RN member of our CERT team. It is very good information to be aware of. Here’s a story that, unfortunately, happens too often. Take a minute to read this, it could save a life!

During a Barbecue, Ingrid stumbled and took a little fall. She assured everyone that she was fine and had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. (Her friends had offered to call paramedics). They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food and, while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Later that evening, Ingrid's husband called to tell everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital. (At 6:00 PM, Ingrid passed away). She had suffered a stroke at the barbecue. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today.

Some don't die, but they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. A neurologist stated that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he could totally reverse the effects of a stroke. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours.

How to Recognize a possible Stroke: 
Remember the first 3 letters in the word “Stroke” are S. T. R.

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 a sunny day today”).

R - Ask them to RAISE Both Arms. (Also, you can ask the person to stick out their tongue. It the tongue is crooked, that is if it goes to one side of the mouth or the other, it is an indication of a stroke, because one side only is affected.)

When people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a possible stroke, the victim may suffer even more severe brain damage. If the victim has trouble Smiling, Talking, or Raising Both Arms, it is an indication of a possible stroke.

CALL 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved. For more information, log onto www.strokeassociation.org. I've put a link to the right, also.