Health Information and Resources

Symptoms of Stroke

Symptoms of stroke are due to interruption of the blood supply to part of your brain. They occur suddenly and differ depending on the part of the brain affected. Multiple symptoms generally arise together because the blood vessel that is blocked may supply a large enough area of the brain to include multiple functions. Anything your brain does may be affected.

Blood Supply and Lack of Blood Supply to the Brain

The most common symptoms include:

Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg (usually occurring on one side of the body)
Sudden onset of confusion, difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking or understanding what others are saying
Blurry, dimming, or no vision in one or both eyes
Dizziness, falling, or loss of balance
Severe or unusual headache

Call for emergency medical help immediately. Brain tissue dies quickly when deprived of oxygen. But, there is a brief window of opportunity to reverse some of the damage.

Strokes are classified according to their course in time:

A completed stroke reaches its maximum extent immediately or over the course of a few hours.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary loss of blood supply to the brain that resolves on its own, within 24 hours. It serves as a warning that a more severe stroke is likely.
A stroke in progress is one that continues to worsen over time, possibly even days.
Multiple small strokes may accumulate over time, from days to years, to produce an effect similar to one big stroke.

After a stroke, it is common to have emotional disturbances, as well as physical limitations. Keep these in mind, since they too may need treatment.

References

Know stroke. Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: http://stroke.nih.gov . Accessed September 4, 2012.

Signs and symptoms. National Stroke Association website. Available at: http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SYMP . A Accessed September 4, 2012.

Stroke (acute management). EBSCO Publishing DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed . Updated August 30, 2012. Accessed September 4, 2012.

Warning signs. National Stroke Association website. Available at: http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Stroke-Warning-Signs%5FUCM%5F308528%5FSubHomePage.jsp . Accessed September 4, 2012.

Revision Information

Reviewer: Rimas Lukas, MD
Review Date: 10/2012 -
Update Date: 10/11/2012 -

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

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