Symptoms and Complications
The symptoms of stroke appear suddenly, over a few minutes or hours or
at most a couple of days. Individuals should be able to recognize the five
main symptoms of stroke and seek immediate medical attention if any
of these symptoms occur:
- sudden paralysis or numbness of the face, arm, or leg (usually on
only one side of the body)
- sudden loss of speech or trouble understanding speech
- sudden loss of vision (often in one eye only) or double vision
- sudden dizziness or loss of balance or coordination
- sudden severe and unusual headache (often described as "the
worst headache of my life" that starts suddenly) with no known cause
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a "mini-stroke" caused
by a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain. TIA symptoms are the
same as those of a stroke except that the symptoms disappear within a few minutes
to hours, usually lasting no longer than 24 hours. However, TIAs require immediate
medical attention just like strokes. TIAs are important warning signs indicating
you may be at risk of having a stroke in the future. Medical treatment is required.