Signs of a Stroke

Hank White, M.D., Choir Member

For a stroke victim, one of the best ways of reversing possible damage is if those around him or her can identify a possible stroke.
Recognizing a Stroke
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness, spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S: Smile. Ask the individual to smile.
T: Talk. Ask the person to talk and speak a simple, coherent sentence, i.e., It is sunny out today.
R: Raise Both Arms
If he or she has trouble with any one of these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

Another sign of a stroke is this: Ask the person to stick out his or her tongue. If the tongue is crooked, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a possible stroke.