Sunday 21 September 2014

Would You Know if Someone Was Having a Stoke?

There are approximately 152,000 stroke a year in the UK. That is more than 1 every 5 minutes.
(From Stoke.org)

What is a stroke?
A stroke is caused when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, this is either due to a blockage or a bleed.

Are some people more at risk?
Yes, preexisting medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol can increase chances of having a stroke, as can life style factors such as diet, drugs, alcohol, smoking and how active you are. 

Checking for Symptoms - FAST



Face – the face may have dropped on one side, the person may not be able to smile or their mouth or eye may have dropped
Arms – the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift one or both arms and keep them there because of arm weakness or numbness
Speech – their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake
Time – it is time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms

Other signs and symptoms may include:

numbness or weakness resulting in complete paralysis of one side of the body
sudden loss of vision 
dizziness 
communication problems, difficulty talking and understanding what others are saying 
problems with balance and coordination 
difficulty swallowing 
sudden and severe headache, unlike any the person has had before, especially if associated with neck stiffness
blacking out (in severe cases)
(from NHS

I’ve been pretty absent from the world of blogging this week as unfortunately my gran had a stoke. She was dealt with very quickly and the paramedics, doctors and nurses were fantastic with her - in the grand scheme of things she was a very luck lady. She’s out of hospital and is definitely on the mend (she even insisted on voting on Thursday!). I thought today I would take a step back from beauty and highlight some of the key symptoms of a stoke, I don't mean to sound morbid but you never know, it could save someone's life.

2 comments :