All about a stroke

Stroke presents in the form of various symptoms which may get missed at times. If you observe someone having the following symptoms, they may be suffering from a stroke. All stroke symptoms are sudden in onset, out of the blue. The symptoms can be remembered with the acronym FAST — Face, Arm, Speech, Time.

A. Speech trouble

Difficulty in speaking or understanding what others are saying and slurring of speech.

B. Paralysis

Numbness of arms, face,and legs that occurs suddenly is a symptom of a stroke.

C. Headache

Sudden severe headache followed by vomiting, dizziness, or altered consciousness are indications of a stroke

D. Change in gait

The person loses balance or stumbles while walking with sudden dizziness. When stroke symptoms are noticed, one needs to rush the patient to the closest hospital. A stroke can be brought on by emotional and physical stress, as per a recent international trial. Sudden anger and emotional upset have been identified as triggers for both ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes.

A sudden, unaccustomed increase in physical activity is known to increase your heart rate and change your heart rhythm. Such kind of physical activity can lead to haemorrhagic stroke in particular, as per a recent study. So, the next time you think running about suddenly, think twice.

Stretch and warm up first. Then you can have a go at running and playing or any sudden increased activity. If you keep track of such triggers, you can reduce the risk of developing strokes. Learn to meditate or calm yourself down. Start a few hobbies like painting, listening to music or meeting friends.

This will lower your chances of getting a stroke. Physical fitness is a must and hence you should start with shorter intervals of exercise. Gradually increase it to improve your stamina and not trigger yourself into a stroke.

(The writer is consultant – neurologist and stroke physician, Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram)