A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Getting medical help quickly can greatly improve outcomes, so recognizing warning signs is important.
10 Early Warning Signs of a Stroke
- Sudden weakness or numbness
- Especially on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
- Face drooping
- One side of the face may feel weak or appear uneven when smiling.
- Speech problems
- Slurred speech, difficulty finding words, or trouble understanding others.
- Sudden confusion
- Feeling disoriented or unable to understand what is happening.
- Sudden vision changes
- Blurred vision, double vision, or loss of vision in one or both eyes.
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden dizziness, trouble walking, or difficulty controlling movements.
- Severe sudden headache
- A sudden, intense headache with no known cause may be a warning sign, especially if it is unusual.
- Difficulty swallowing
- Sudden problems with swallowing can occur during a stroke.
- Sudden weakness affecting one side of the body
- Trouble lifting an arm or keeping it raised can be a key warning sign.
- Fainting or reduced alertness
- Sudden loss of consciousness or extreme drowsiness can occur in serious strokes.
Remember FAST:
- F — Face: Does one side droop?
- A — Arm: Is one arm weak or numb?
- S — Speech: Is speech strange or difficult?
- T — Time: Call emergency services immediately.
Even if symptoms disappear after a few minutes, it could be a transient ischemic attack (TIA or “mini-stroke”), which requires urgent medical evaluation because it can warn of a future stroke.
If someone is having possible stroke symptoms right now, do not wait for them to improve—seek emergency medical help immediately.
