Health Matters Home

Time Equals Brain During a Stroke

When stroke symptoms occur, it’s important to get medical help quickly. Fast action can reduce your chance for death or serious disability such as paralysis. It’s especially important for women to know the signs: Though more men have strokes, more women die from them.

Recognize the Symptoms

Stroke symptoms come on suddenly. Women are more likely than men to report unusual stroke symptoms, such as sudden nausea or pain in the face, arm or leg. Call 911 if any of these symptoms occur without warning:

• Numbness or weakness, especially on only one side of the body
• Trouble seeing
• Dizziness, trouble walking or loss of balance or coordination
• Confusion, or difficulty speaking or understanding
• Severe headache with no known cause

Call 911 even if symptoms last only a few minutes. You could be having a transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a “ministroke.” This is a warning sign that you might have a full stroke. Treatment of TIA may help prevent a stroke in the future.