A medical emergency can happen any day, any time, with or without any warning signs. The most common medical emergencies in Kolkata are a heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest and road accidents. Often people assume heart attack and stroke to be the same thing, but they are not. Let’s understand some crucial aspects of stroke in brief.

What Is a Stroke?

Stroke is a medical emergency which occurs when blood flow to the brain stops and as a result, the brain cells begin to die. A heart attack is a similar medical emergency in which the supply of blood to the heart stops.

There are 3 kinds of stroke, namely

1. Ischemic Stroke – When an artery is blocked
2. Hemorrhagic Stroke – When a blood vessel is ruptured
3. Mini Stroke (Transient Ischemic Attack) – When a blood vessel is damaged temporarily

Though a mini-stroke doesn’t have any long term effect on health for most people, some patients are left with some disability for life. A mini-stroke also uplifts the risks of having a stroke in the future, significantly.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Stroke?

As already mentioned, stroke is a medical emergency and during stroke every second count. Thus it is crucial to be able to identify stroke on time. But identifying stroke can be challenging for people in general. In this regard, we all should be aware of a simple acronym FAST. So, if you suspect anyone to have a stroke, check the following.

1. Face Dropping – Ask them to smile to check the facial muscles. If you observe one side of the face to be dropping or if the smile appears to be uneven, it might indicate a stroke.
2. Arm Weakness – Ask them to lift both arms and see if they can. Also, check if they complain of numbness in one arm.
3. Speech Difficulty – Ask them to check how they respond and see if their speech seems slur or abnormal or if they are able to understand your command.
4. Time To Call Ambulance – If any of the above-mentioned symptoms are present, don’t hesitate and call the ambulance immediately.

Apart from these obvious symptoms of a stroke, there are few other minor symptoms as well. These include-

• Severe, sudden headaches
• Blurry vision or difficulty focusing on one/both eyes
• Paralysis/numbness/weakness in body part/s
• Trouble walking or loss of balance
• Dizziness or confusion
• Loss of memory
• Muscle stiffness
• Involuntary eye movement

So, always remember, ‘if you suspect a stroke, then be FAST’. If you are not entirely sure, get it addressed at the nearby healthcare provider. Treatment on the right time will reduce the risk of disability or even death.

The symptoms of stroke may vary depending upon severity. On one hand mild stroke might have a temporary weakness; on the other hand, any sever stroke can end up causing permanent paralysis.

ILS Hospitals is all set to offer accurate diagnostics and prompt treatment for stroke and other medical emergencies. Our expert doctor and paramedic team monitor the patient round the clock, on our ICUs. For more information, visit us.