What are the warning signs of a Stroke (Mark Lovell)

Stroke is the sudden loss of brain function caused by a blockage of an artery in the brain. Another cause of a stroke could be a blood clot in the brain. Some causes of this condition may be due to high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, excessive alcohol intake, smoking, and poor diet; also, there is a strong hereditary link. It is vital to know the warning signs of a stroke in order to catch it early. The following list complied by Palo Alto Home Care Assistance outlines several stroke warning signs.

Some warning signs of a stroke are sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm or leg. It can be intermittent or all at once. A sudden loss of vision is a key sign in stroke onset. Also, a dimming of vision could be a potential warning sign of stroke. The dimming may be very subtle at first then it progresses to the point where a person needs more lighting to see things such as the print in a book or the newspaper.

Difficulty speaking is another warning. It may be slurred speech heard by others. It may or may not be noticed by the person. It may feel as if the tongue is too fat or thick. People listening to the speech will have difficulty understanding what the person is saying. The person having the stroke may not realize that people can't understand what they are saying.

Another sign of a stroke is sudden falling. This can be from a change in the person's gait. Or, it can be from dizziness and fainting caused by the stroke symptoms. If you notice any of these signs in your elderly loved one then consult your Palo Alto In-Home Care Assistance caregiver or your health care provider.

A person having a stroke may exhibit one or several of the above mentioned symptoms at once. Sometimes the signs come and go. For example, a person may have trouble grasping, say a coffee cup, and then they are fine. They have numbness or a "thick" tongue and write it off as sleeping with their mouth open.

Usually the symptoms such as numbness, weakness, or paralysis are on one side of the body. A right handed person usually experiences symptoms on the right side of the body. A left handed person can experience the symptoms on either side of the body.
If any signs of these symptoms in a person are noticed then its time to call Palo Alto Stroke Care. The faster a person gets treatment the more likely the damage from a stroke can be limited or reversed.

If you notice any stoke symptoms in your elderly loved one then consult your Palo Alto In-Home Care Assistance caregiver or your health care provider. http://www.paloaltohomecare.com