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Recognising stroke: How can I recognise it?

30. März 2021 admin

Every year, more than 15,000 people in Switzerland suffer a stroke. Next to heart attacks, strokes are one of the most common causes of death. The chance of survival increases by reacting quickly. But how can you recognise a stroke? We provide the answers.

How do I recognise a stroke?

Two important factors play a role in recognising a stroke. The first is the appearance of the symptoms. Here it is important to know the general symptoms of a stroke. Secondly, you should familiarise yourself with the FAST test. With the help of this test, you can quickly and easily recognise whether someone is currently suffering a stroke.

Symptoms

The cause of a stroke is usually either a cerebral haemorrhage or a vascular occlusion (cerebral infarction). In the case of a cerebral haemorrhage, the blood reaches our brain; in the case of a vascular occlusion, too little oxygen reaches the brain. These are two different causes of a stroke, yet the symptoms are very similar in both variants.
Symptoms of a stroke include:

Nausea
Headache
Stiff neck
Paralysis of the face, leg and arms
Drooping corners of the mouth
Closed eyelid
Speech problems
Vision problems

Since the left side of the brain is responsible for the right side of the body and vice versa, it is easy to find out which region of the brain is affected. For example, if paralysis occurs on the right side of the body, it can be diagnosed that the stroke is taking place in the left brain region. This is enormously important, especially for first aid and for the doctor treating the patient. In order to detect a stroke even more quickly and accurately, a FAST test can be carried out.

FAST test

A FAST test is a simple test that can be used on anyone. You ask the person, you think is having a stroke, questions. Depending on how the person reacts or what answers they give, you can quickly recognise or rule out a stroke. But what does FAST actually stand for? The term comes from the English and stands for Face, Arms, Speech, Time.

To use a FAST test successfully, you should proceed as follows:

Face: First you should ask the person to smile. If the affected person has difficulty doing this or one corner of the mouth hangs down, it indicates hemiplegia.
Arms: The next step is to ask the person to stretch their arms forward. The palms should point upwards. If the person does not manage to do this, you can assume that they have paralysis. This is because in paralysis you cannot raise your arms, instead one arm starts to sink.
Speech: Ask the person something and have the person speak a simple sentence. If the person has difficulty doing this, it indicates a speech disorder.
Time: Every minute counts! Dial the emergency number immediately and provide first aid if necessary. The faster an emergency doctor arrives, the higher the chances of survival or the lower the consequential damage.

Note: You can also request first aid in an emergency with our Taris App. You can find out more about this right here.

Types of stroke

In the case of a stroke, the symptoms can either appear clearly or they are not even noticeable. A distinction is made between a normal stroke and a silent stroke.

Silent stroke

This is a mild or gradual stroke. Silent strokes are hardly noticeable and are very difficult to recognise. As a rule, the symptoms only occur temporarily, for example during sleep. When the affected person wakes up the next morning, they usually no longer feel the symptoms.
Only with time do small abnormalities, such as memory problems or disturbances in walking, become noticeable. This is because the cause of the stroke occurs in regions of the brain, although the damage is not severe. A silent stroke is usually only recognised when a person accidentally undergoes a CT or MRI scan. This is when the permanent infarct scars become noticeable. Now the question arises, how bad is such a silent stroke?
Since the symptoms here are only very weak, they are initially only a higher risk of suffering a normal stroke. In other words, several silent strokes could be a sign of a more severe stroke. In addition, the risk of dementia increases because the brain region is affected.

Risk factors stroke

Most strokes can be avoided and thus also prevented. The most important thing is a healthy lifestyle. An unhealthy lifestyle increases the risk of suffering a stroke. In addition, the probability of suffering a stroke increases with age. But this can also be avoided. In old age, you should therefore have regular check-ups with a doctor. This way you can prevent a stroke.
The most important factors are:

Healthy and balanced diet
Sufficient exercise
Abstain from alcohol and smoking.
Avoidance of overweight
Pre-existing conditions

Especially if you have a pre-existing condition, you should consult your doctor. Pre-existing conditions can increase the risk of a stroke. Pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, arteriosclerosis, dyslipidemia or obesity can be problematic. Arteriosclerosis, for example, causes a blockage of blood vessels, which can be the cause of a vascular occlusion. And a vascular occlusion (cerebral infarction) in turn is one of the two possible causes of a stroke. It is also the most common cause of stroke.
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