It takes the average person 13 hours to recognize the seriousness of stroke symptoms and get to a hospital. During this time, the brain suffers irreparable and otherwise treatable damage.
Why does it take so long for someone to seek out medical attention for such a serious illness? Some people wait because they believe strokes are untreatable. Others simply don’t know how to recognize the symptoms. According to the National Stroke Association, the five most common and recognizable stroke symptoms include:
1. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
2. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or inability to understand others
3. Sudden trouble seeing from one or both eyes
4. Sudden trouble with walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
5. Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Stroke symptoms should not be taken lightly. If you experience a stroke or see someone else experiencing one of these symptoms, call 911 immediately even if the symptoms go away quickly.
Learning to recognize these symptoms may save your life or the life of someone you love.