Signs of a stroke You should be on high alert for a stroke when one or more of the following symptoms occur. Everyone, especially those at high risk of stroke, should be familiar with the following signs Sudden onset of weakness, numbness, or paralysis of the face, arms, or legs (especially if the symptom occurs on one side of the body) Sudden inability to speak (or speech that is slurred or illogical) or to understand what is being said Sudden onset of blindness or loss of vision in one of your glasses Sudden onset of a severe headache of unknown origin Sudden unexplained dizziness, loss of balance, or motor incoordination Transient ischemic attack (TIA) About 1 in 3 stroke patients have had one or more “mini-stroke episodes” before the onset of stroke, which we call transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). TIAs can occur days, weeks, or even months before a stroke. TIAs are caused by a temporary disruption of the blood supply to the brain. They occur suddenly, last for a short period of time, usually from a few minutes to a few hours, and usually recover completely within 24 hours with no residual symptoms. For example, if you have ever had a sudden, brief loss of vision or weakness in a limb, you may have had a TIA. Because TIAs are temporary and return to normal quickly, they are very easy to ignore or assume that nothing is wrong. However, ignoring a TIA is very dangerous because the cause of the TIA continues to exist and may get worse, and it is often an early precursor to a stroke. If you or someone else is experiencing any one or more of these signs, it is very important to seek immediate medical help. Even if you have felt better or your symptoms have disappeared, you should go to the hospital immediately. If symptoms last more than 10-15 minutes, come on frequently or get worse, you should call 120 emergency immediately for help. To be clear, stroke patients can only have a good outcome if they receive emergency treatment within a few hours of the onset of symptoms. Unfortunately, it is now the case that many patients are seen a day or more after the onset of symptoms, when it is often too late to provide effective treatment. It is essential to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of stroke and to respond to them as soon as they appear, so that the patient has the best chance of being treated. Remember, stroke is an emergency!