Teach a Friend How to Recognize a Stroke
We posted before in, “Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs): Heed the Warning“, on TIA and stroke symptoms and now we bring you an additional way to help determine if someone is having a stroke.
The following is an email that periodically makes the rounds in email…that’s true.
This might be a lifesaver if you can remember the following advice, sent by a nurse, whose husband is a medical doctor.
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. A stroke victim may suffer permanent brain damage when people fail to recognize what’s happening. Now, doctors say any bystander can recognize a stroke, simply by asking three questions:
- Ask the individual to smile.
- Ask him or her to raise both arms.
- Ask the person to speak a simple sentence.
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 911 immediately, and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. Researchers are urging the general public to learn to ask these three questions quickly, to someone they suspect of having a stroke. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of a stroke, and prevent permanent brain damage.
Bonus: The American Stroke Association has a fun and educational email application that you lets you send a message to a friend on recognizing the symptoms of a stroke.
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This is great. It’s easy to remember and it has the added bonus that you get to ask people to smile.