Understanding Stroke Symptoms: Duration & Key Signs

A stroke is a dangerous condition that occurs when the brain does not receive enough blood due to a blood clot or a hemorrhage in the brain. The symptoms of a stroke are clear and definitive. Many times it is about how sudden the symptoms appear rather than their length.

Loss of Balance

• Symptoms include suddenly dizziness and having trouble with coordination, balancing or standing up straight when walking. All of this may occur without any warning.

Numbness

• Symptoms include feeling one side of your body weakening and unresponsive, particularly your hands, arms or legs. A person may also experience one side of the face feeling slump. Speaking or forming words may be another challenge.

Sight

• Symptoms include suddenly having trouble seeing out of one or both eyes unrelated to external strain (such as bright lights or extensive computer work), which does not fade with a couple seconds of rest.

Headache

• Symptoms include suddenly getting a debilitating headache without any observable reason.

Important Facts

• The gradual (from half an hour to several hours) onset of any single above symptoms could be caused by conditions other than a stroke. The only definitive sign is how suddenly they appear and whether you feel multiple symptoms all at once.