How to tell if it is a Stroke?
Stroke is very common in Australia, but due to the difficulty in recognising it and quickly getting to the hospital, there is often a delay before treatment is started. Heart specialists say that if everyone were able to recognise the signs of stroke and get to the Emergency Room for treatment within 3 hours there would be much less disability, brain damage, and long-term suffering from stroke.
Therefore, it is worthwhile for everyone to learn the following simple signs of stroke, so that we can recognise them in ourselves, co-workers, and loved ones, and seek the appropriate emergency medical care without delay. An easy way to remember how to tell if it is a stroke is using the first 4 letters of the word “Stroke”:
S – Smile – If your smile is unusually lopsided that can mean stroke.
T – Talk – try to say something clearly – if you cannot speak, or have a problem doing so, that can mean stroke.
R – Raise both arms – if you cannot raise both arms that can mean stroke.
O – stick Out your tongue – if it is pointing to one side or the other that can mean stroke.
If you have trouble with even ONE of these simple tasks ring 000 for an ambulance immediately, as you need to get to the Emergency Room for treatment. You can reduce your risk of having a stroke by keeping your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels low, quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and being physically active.
