When you hear stroke, what comes to mind? There is a common misconception that stroke only happens to older people; this is very far from the truth. Strokes occur when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, usually because of a blood clot in the brain or a blocked artery. This isn’t restricted to older adults alone. Strokes are also possible if your blood vessel gets damaged.  

When the brain cells don’t receive enough oxygen, they stop functioning, and if this happens for a long time, it can lead to death. When a stroke happens, you need treatment immediately to reduce the possibility of brain damage, a disability, or even worse, death.  

The severity of the stroke depends on how long the oxygen supply cut-off lasts. 

A mini-stroke occurs when your blood vessel gets blocked for a moment. It leaves no permanent effect on the brain cells and blood flow returns to normal within minutes. The mistake many young and old people make is ignoring the severity of the min stroke.  

A mini-stroke almost always leads to a more severe stroke, so even if everything returns to normal after the mini-stroke, you need to set up a doctor's appointment immediately. Medical reports have shown that about 4 in 10 people who experience a mini-stroke will go on to have a major stroke.  

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To check for some common symptoms of stroke, the worldwide stroke association came up with an easy technique- FAST.  

Face- If one side of your face droops when you smile, it might be a symptom of stroke 

Arms- Try to raise both of your arms and see if one arm drops down 

Speech- Say something short and listen for weird or slurred speech 

Time- If you check for any of these symptoms and the answer is yes at any point, write down the time and call a doctor immediately.  

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Every moment counts and could save you from something bigger when it comes to treating stroke. A doctor would be able to stop the bleeding quickly if the stroke was caused by a blood vessel burst. Treatment has to be administered within 3 hours of noticing the symptoms so it’s important that you call a doctor. Driving to the hospital should be secondary.  

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Stroke doesn’t always happen at once, there’s usually warning signs that we tend to ignore or count as nothing. Don’t wait till you collapse before you book a doctor’s appointment. Some warning signs you can look out for regardless of your age;  

• One-sided weakness or numbness in your face, legs or arms 
• Difficulty seeing with one eye or both.  
• Difficulty staying coordinated or balanced while walking. 
• Massive headaches for no particular reason 
• Constant dizziness 
• Struggling to speak all of a sudden and regaining the ability to speak almost immediately 

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Once you notice any of these signs, call a doctor and have a check-up right away to prevent it from escalating. Stroke is not an old people sickness; it can happen to anyone.  

If you need to see a certified doctor immediately, we have got you covered! Download the HealthAid App and have doctors from anywhere in the country at your fingertips.