A stroke is always a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment.
What are the signs of a stroke?
Sudden symptoms of paralysis, such as weakness down one side of the body, facial asymmetry, drooping of the mouth and problems producing speech and speaking clearly, should always be treated as signs of a stroke. The presence of even one of these signs is reason enough to call the emergency number straightaway.
The functions of the human body are controlled by different parts of the brain. Brain damage can occur if blood circulation in the brain is disrupted due to, for example, a stroke or a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Approximately 80% of strokes are caused by a blocked blood vessel in the brain. The sooner the symptoms of a stroke are identified and the person gets professional help, the better is the prognosis for recovery.
Always call the emergency number (112) if you suspect that a person is having a stroke.
For more information about stroke, visit https://www.aivoliitto.fi/english/stroke/.
What to do if you suspect that someone is having a stroke:
The FAST method is a test to quickly identify if someone is having a stroke.