Have you or any of your family members ever experienced these symptoms?

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing or blurred vision in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If yes, be alert!!! These are the warning signs of stroke. Stroke occurs when blood supply to an area of the brain is interrupted. It is accounted as one among the leading causes of death and disability across globe. Stroke not only occurs in adults, but also in children and adolescents within the age group of 4 to 15 years.

Knowing the warning signs of stroke is of great importance as it can create a huge difference between survival with disability and recovery. FAST is an acronym devised for common people to identify the stroke signs and to seek urgent medical attention. FAST stands for:

F- Face: See for any facial drooping or asymmetry especially while smiling
A- Arms: Check if one of the arms sags or is weak while raising both
S- Speech: Look for slurred speech
T- Time: Immediately report to hospital as every minute counts and early treatment can be life saving and prevent disability

Awareness about FAST and acting FAST are equally important in stroke because it can save a life.

The occurrence of stroke can be prevented by following healthy lifestyle which reduces the risk of contributing factors like:

High cholesterol
Diabetes
High blood pressure

It is vital to say ‘no’ to cigarette smoking, heavy drinking and diet with high fat content, as these can put you at risk for stroke in the future. Instead, stay healthy by including regular exercise and balanced diet in your daily routine.

Stroke survivors generally report with complaints like physical restrictions, difficulty in food intake, unclear speech and difficulty in understanding and expressing language. Today, remediations for these problems are just a finger tip away through rehabilitation services offered by professionals.

Speech Language Pathologist is one among the core stroke rehabilitation professional who cares for recovering the patients speech skills, motor skills, communication skills and swallowing skills. With the professional rehabilitation life after stroke will not be a challenge. All you have to do is seek help, as early as possible from a trusted provider.

Amritha ML

Speech Language Pathologist