What is stroke awareness?
Stroke awareness training is the best way to minimize the risks and damage of stroke. A stroke is a “brain attack”. It can happen to anyone at any time. It occurs when blood flow to an area of brain is cut off.
When this occurs, brain cells lose oxygen and begin to die. When brain cells die after a stroke, the abilities regulated by that area of the brain are gone, including memory, vision, hearing, and muscle control. Stroke awareness is the ability to notice when someone is having a stroke.
How to identify stroke awareness?
Stroke symptoms in men and women are typically identical, such as face drooping, arm weakness, and difficulty speaking. Other common symptoms for both men and women include difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes, as well as problems with balance or coordination.
Stroke symptoms are unique because they come on suddenly, without warning. The National Stroke Association suggests using the term “FAST Trusted Source” to help you recognize common stroke symptoms.
| FAST | Sign |
| F for face | If you notice a droop or uneven smile on a person’s face, this is a warning sign. |
| A for arms | Arm numbness or weakness can be a warning sign. You can ask the person to raise their arms if you’re unsure. It’s a warning sign if the arm drops down or isn’t steady. |
| S for speech difficulty | Ask the person to repeat something. Slurred speech can indicate that the person is having a stroke. |
| T for time | If someone is experiencing stroke symptoms, it’s time to act fast. |
However, some signs of stroke in women can be subtle enough to be missed or brushed off. That can lead to delays in getting time-sensitive, lifesaving treatments.
Nursing Revalidation provides best Stroke Awareness course.
5 Major signs of stroke awareness
The Major signs of stroke awareness are following:
- Numbness: Sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis in the face, leg, or arm can occur. Typically, it will only be on one side of the body, and it can happen on the left or right.
- Vision Problems: If the stroke occurs on the right side of the brain, it may suddenly become difficult to see out of one or both eyes.
- Language Confusion: If the stroke occurs on the left side of the brain, it can make it difficult to speak or understand others.
- Severe Headache: Headaches can happen for many reasons, but if you experience a severe headache with no explainable cause, it could be a stroke.
- Dizziness: Dizzy spells, a loss of balance, and trouble walking can all be signs of a stroke.
Prevention of Stroke:
You can help prevent stroke by making healthy choices and controlling any health conditions you may have.
Healthy living
Many strokes could be avoided by adopting a healthy lifestyle and working with your health care team to treat health issues that increase your chance of having a stroke. Making healthy lifestyle choices can help prevent stroke.
Choose healthy foods and drinks
Choosing healthy meal and snack selections can aid in stroke prevention. Consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Eating meals high in fiber and low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol can help avoid high cholesterol. Limiting your salt (sodium) intake can also help lower your blood pressure. High blood pressure and high cholesterol both raise your chances of having a stroke.
Keep a healthy weight
Obesity and overweight raise your risk of stroke. Doctors frequently analyse your body mass index to determine whether your weight is within a healthy level (BMI). Doctors will sometimes use waist and hip measurements to determine extra body fat.
Get regular physical activity
Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight while also lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure. The surgeon general recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week for adults, such as a brisk stroll. Every day, children and teenagers should engage in one hour of physical activity.
Don’t smoke
Cigarette smoking significantly raises your risk of getting a stroke. Don’t start smoking if you don’t already. If you smoke, quitting will reduce your risk of having a stroke. Your doctor can advise you on how to quit smoking.
Limit alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol might cause your blood pressure to rise. Men should limit themselves to two drinks each day, while women should limit themselves to one.
Control your medical conditions
Consult your doctor about ways to reduce your chance of a stroke.
You can reduce your risk of stroke if you have heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
Check cholesterol
Your cholesterol levels should be checked by your doctor at least once every five years. Discuss this easy blood test with your medical staff. If you have high cholesterol, medication and lifestyle modifications can help reduce your stroke risk.
Control blood pressure
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so be sure to have it checked on a regular basis. Talk to your health care team about how often you should check your levels. You can check your blood pressure at home, at a doctor’s office, or at a pharmacy.
If you have high blood pressure, your doctor might prescribe medicine, suggest some changes in your lifestyle, or recommend that you choose foods with lower sodium (salt).
Nursing Revalidation provides best Stroke Awareness course.
Control diabetes
If your doctor thinks you have symptoms of diabetes, he or she may recommend that you get tested. If you have diabetes, check your blood sugar levels regularly.
Talk with your health care team about treatment options. Your doctor may recommend certain lifestyle changes, such as getting more physical activity or choosing healthier foods. These actions will help keep your blood sugar under good control and help lower your risk for stroke.
Treat heart disease
If you have certain heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease or atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), your health care team may recommend medical treatment or surgery. Taking care of heart problems can help prevent stroke.
Take your medicine
If you take medicine to treat heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully. Always ask questions if you don’t understand something. Never stop taking your medicine without first talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
Work with your health care team
You and your medical team can collaborate to prevent or cure the medical issues that lead to stroke. Bring a list of questions to your appointments and discuss your treatment plan on a frequent basis.
If you’ve already had a stroke or TIA, your health care team will collaborate with you to avoid future strokes. Your treatment strategy will include medication or surgery as well as lifestyle modifications to reduce your chance of having another stroke. Take your medication exactly as advised and follow your doctor’s instructions.
Best stroke awareness course
Nursing Revalidation provides best Stroke Awareness course.
Strokes are the fourth single leading cause of death in the UK, as well as a leading cause of disability. Being aware of the causes and symptoms will help you act fast in a situation where you suspect someone is having a stroke and provide them with the best chance of receiving the treatment they need and minimizing the long-term impact of the condition. This course will cover the types of strokes, the symptoms, and risk factors. It will also cover the treatment options and the longer-term impact of the condition.
The bottom line
A stroke occurs when the arteries in and around the brain either become blocked or rupture due to a clot. There are several signs and symptoms of Stroke. However, It can be prevented through proper stroke awareness.