How to recognize early stroke symptoms.

[Jacob Mathai]

Subject: How to recognize early stroke symptoms.


STROKE SIGNS

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

It only takes a minute to read this-

----- A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized , diagnosed an getting to the patient within 3 hours which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

3 steps . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.
Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a
stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.

2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

3. *Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today) If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call
9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.

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.

BE A FRIEND AND SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE, you could save their lives.

 

[Kraj]

It's always fun to see chain letters evolve, especially when all sorts of crazy crap gets added. Most of the info in here is fairly sound, but then there's crap like:

----- A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized , diagnosed an getting to the patient within 3 hours which is tough.

Any doctor willing to make such a sweeping guarantee of success is a liar. However, there is a fairly new drug called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), which can potentially negate the damage done by a stroke if administered within the first three hours. Therefore, it is essential to be able to recognize a stroke quickly.

The three-question method is fairly sound but has not yet been endorsed by the American Heart Association due to a lack of conclusive information on its effectiveness.

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.

Whoever thought it was necessary to add this qualifier to the message likely suffered a stroke themselves. Not only would I hope a cardiologist speak more intelligently than this, but considering the hundreds of millions of people who will potentially read this information, if only one life is saved by it then the method isn't very useful, is it?

 

[Rich]

It only takes a minute to read this-

----- A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized , diagnosed an getting to the patient within 3 hours which is tough.
.

Surely there's more than one type of stroke?

 

[Groundrush]

1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.

2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

3. *Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today) If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call
9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

The person could simply be drunk?

 

[jsanders]

Surely there's more than one type of stroke?

You know there are.

 

[Brianwarnock]

You know there are.

This appears to be an unnecessarily aggressive response, even if you think Rich is being silly you could draw his sting by giving a cultured and informative reply, however he may be less than 100% sure of the answer to his question.

Of course you might be bloody clueless yourself.

Brian

 

[Len Boorman]

Now hang on there

As somebody who has slightly passed "prime of life" but still has all cylinders in action I think that there is some merit in the original post.

As for being drunk and unable to carry out the simple tasks well you would use your own common sense, you also use you common sense when considering the person who "may" be unwell.

Simple but potentially effective little checks are worth while.

No need to be alarmist but the simple check is worth the effort.

Len

 

[Rich]

You know there are.

Then there can't be a universal treatment, especially if the stoke's been caused by different factors

 

[ColinEssex]

Surely there's more than one type of stroke?

You are correct in your thoughts Rich. There are several different types of stroke. Generally they fall into 2 categories.

1) Ischaemic - where a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain. (most common stroke type, approx 80%)

2) Haemorrhagic - where an artery or blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding area of the brain causing pressure. The two types of haemorrhage stroke are intracerebral haemorrhage or subarachnoid haemorrhage.

You can have a TIA (Transient Ischaemic Attack) where the blood clot clears itself - hence the word "transient" - this is generally regarded as a "warning" stroke.

I studied this subject as I had to write a database for our stroke unit.

Col

 

[Rich]

You are correct in your thoughts Rich. There are several different types of stroke. Generally they fall into 2 categories.


Col

I know, my mum collapsed at the local post office last year, within minutes the ambulance was there to rush her straight to hospital for treatment. (No ambulance chasers or checking of her bank balance )
She was making very good progress until suddenly she suffered a second stroke.
The first was caused by blockage the second by a bleed when the blockage cleared

 

[ColinEssex]

I know, my mum collapsed at the local post office last year,

Thats sad, I know how you felt, my Mum had a stroke and then was in hospital then a nursing home for a year, she was unable to speak or eat, she was fed via a tube. During that year she had several TIA's until she had a final stroke that she failed to recover from. That was in 2003.

Its particularly harrowing visiting this shell of a person who can't communicate and may or may not recognise you.

One has to wonder the pro's and con's of euthanasia. . . . . . . . . . .

Col

 

[Rich]

Thats sad, I know how you felt, my Mum had a stroke and then was in hospital then a nursing home for a year, she was unable to speak or eat, she was fed via a tube. During that year she had several TIA's until she had a final stroke that she failed to recover from. That was in 2003.

Its particularly harrowing visiting this shell of a person who can't communicate and may or may not recognise you.

One has to wonder the pro's and con's of euthanasia. . . . . . . . . . .

Col

Yes she's now in a home confined to a chair, having seen how much she suffered being fed through tubes etc, one part of me wished she'd passed away peacfully in her sleep, having said that though she's still lucid and looks foward to seeing the family. We do get to take her out (thank God for black cabs ) and she's not reduced to tears now about not being able to return home. Remarkably her right side movement has improved and she now goes for therapy twice a week although she'll never walk again, even with a frame.

 

[ColinEssex]

having said that though she's still lucid and looks foward to seeing the family.

Thats good

Col

 

[Rich]

Thats good

Col

Yes, having seen some of the poor souls in the home with her who are in a virtually vegative state

 

[jsanders]

This appears to be an unnecessarily aggressive response, even if you think Rich is being silly you could draw his sting by giving a cultured and informative reply, however he may be less than 100% sure of the answer to his question.

Of course you might be bloody clueless yourself.

Brian

I wasn't trying to be aggressive, It turns out unfortunately Rich has had a little too much experience with strokes.

I actually did know about the different types of strokes. But only about as much as Col has posted on them.

 

[Brianwarnock]

I didn't know Rich had experience and knowledge of stokes, it would appear that he was being his usual obtuse self, pity he couldn't leave the baiting alone for a bit.

Brian

 

[Rich]

, pity he couldn't leave the baiting alone for a bit.

Brian

you'll have to explain that one to me Brian

 

[Brianwarnock]

Surely there's more than one type of stroke?

I'm suggesting that the above response was given whilst having full knowledge of the answer and therefore was just to provoke a response or deride the post it was a response to.

Brian

 

[Rich]

I'm suggesting that the above response was given whilst having full knowledge of the answer and therefore was just to provoke a response or deride the post it was a response to.

Brian

I don't have full knowledge Bri, that's why there was a question mark at the end of the remark. I was somewhat puzzled by the statement that there appeared to be a new single cure for strokes

 

[selenau837]

This thread hit close to home for me too.

I had, what we thought was a stroke in Oct '05. It turns out to be a Pseduo-stroke. That is according to the Dr, but he said next time it will be the real thing. Huge lifestyle change there. Hence the no smoking. Anyways, back on track, I had all the above symptoms which is why it was scary. It was horrify for my kids because they saw it happening to mommie. Thank goodness for kind people in the McDonalds. They were able to get a ambulance for me as well as call family to come get my girls.

I'm only 30 for goodness sake. I thought that only happened to older people. Guess that is another myth as well.

But all better, I'm just as sassy as ever.