Symptoms

If you or someone you’re with may have a stroke, pay particular attention to when the symptoms began. Some treatment options are most effective when given soon after a stroke starts. Signs and symptoms of stroke include:

• Trouble speaking and understanding what others are saying. You may experience confusion, slur your words or have difficulty understanding speech.
• Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm, or leg. You may develop sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis in your face, arm, or leg. A Stroke often affects just one side of your body. Try to raise both your arms over your head at the same time. If one arm begins to fall, you may be having a stroke. Also, one side of your mouth may droop when you try to smile.
• Problems seeing in one or both eyes. You may suddenly have blurred or blackened vision in one or both eyes, or you may see double.
• Headache. A sudden, severe headache, accompanied by vomiting, dizziness, or altered consciousness, may indicate that you’re having a stroke.
• Trouble walking. You may stumble or lose your balance. You may also have sudden dizziness or a loss of coordination.

Causes

Stroke occurs when the arteries that supply oxygen to the brain become narrowed or blocked, reducing or completely stopping blood supply to the brain. Ischemic strokes are often caused by a blood clot or debris of tissue carried by the blood. Hemorrhagic stroke on the other hand can be caused by uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension), anticoagulants, and/or weak spots in the blood vessel walls (aneurysms). Risk factors of stroke include both lifestyle factors (weight, diet, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption, etc) and medical conditions (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc).

Treatments

When the worst happens, you can rely on Frontline ER to diagnose and treat stroke victims. Strokes can have severe, lifelong consequences, as they often limit oxygen to the brain. If untreated, patients may suffer brain damage and other disabilities, depending on the severity of the stroke. The team at Frontline ER is here to give you the care you need within the crucial four-and-a-half-hour period. We hope to reduce stroke after-effects and leave you with the best quality of life possible with quick treatment.