home > disease information > stroke > symptoms of a stroke

Symptoms of a Stroke

Common symptoms of a stroke occur suddenly, and include:^{3, 1}

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, on one side of the body. Signs of this can be a drooping arm, leg, or lower eyelid, or a dribbling mouth
• Confusion, including trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Sudden blurred vision or loss of sight in one or both eyes
• Dizziness or a loss of balance or coordination
• A severe headache with no known cause

A simple test, known as the F.A.S.T. test, can be used to detect stroke symptoms and help you to know whether to seek emergency medical help. Symptoms isolated in the F.A.S.T. test identify around nine out of ten strokes.² The test consists of four steps that look for signs of stroke:

F = Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face, mouth, or eye droop?
A= Arm: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech: Ask the person to repeat a sentence. Does their speech sound slurred or odd? Can they understand what you say?
T = Time: If you observe these symptoms, it’s time to call for emergency medical help by dialling 999. ^{3, 1, 5}

The symptoms of a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or mini-stroke are similar to the signs of a stroke listed above, with the main difference being that they only last for a few minutes, usually completely disappearing within twenty-four hours.¹ However, if you or someone you know experiences a TIA, you should still seek medical help since it is a warning sign that there is a problem with your blood circulation which could result in a full blown stroke later on.²

Stroke signs and symptoms vary from person to person, and will also depend upon the part of the brain that has been affected.⁵ The brain is supplied with oxygen via four main arteries: the right and left carotid arteries, and the right and left vertebrobasilar arteries. These branch off into smaller arteries that supply all parts of the brain with oxygen. The extent of the damage caused by a stroke depends on which artery becomes blocked. For example, if blood supply is cut off from a main carotid artery, a large area of your brain will be affected, which may result in severe complications or even death. If only a small vessel is affected, symptoms can be relatively minor.⁵

Disease Information

• Angina
• Depression
• Diabetes (Type 2)
• Heart Attacks
• Heart Failure
• High Blood Pressure
• Osteoporosis (Postmenopausal)
• Stroke