Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

Signs and symptoms

Knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke may make it possible for the right care and to get immediate treatment. The signs and symptoms of stroke usually occur suddenly; frequently there’s more than one.

Signs and symptoms include:

• Sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis of your face, arm or leg — usually on one side
• Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination
• Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech (aphasia)
• Sudden blurred, double or decreased vision
• A sudden, severe headache or an unusual headache, which may be accompanied by a stiff neck, facial pain, pain between your eyes, vomiting or altered consciousness
• Confusion, or problems with memory

For most, a stroke gives no warning or signs. One possible sign of an impending stroke is a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA is a temporary interruption of blood flow to a part of your brain.The signs and symptoms of TIA are the same as a stroke, but they last for a shorter period. It can be several minutes and to 24 hours and then go away without any apparent permanent effects. It is possible to have more than one TIA, and the recurrent signs and symptoms may be similar or different.