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.