A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds, or when there’s a blockage in the blood supply to the brain. The rupture or blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching the brain’s tissues.
Without oxygen, brain cells and tissue become damaged and begin to die within minutes.
Symptoms
The loss of blood flow to the brain damages tissues within the brain. Symptoms of a stroke show up in the body parts controlled by the damaged areas of the brain.
The sooner a person having a stroke gets care, the better their outcome is likely to be. For this reason. Stroke symptoms can include:
- paralysis
- numbness or weakness in the arm, face, and leg, especially on one side of the body
- trouble speaking or understanding speech
- confusion
- slurring speech
- vision problems, such as trouble seeing in one or both eyes with vision blackened or blurred, or double vision
- trouble walking
- loss of balance or coordination
- giddiness
- severe, sudden headache with an unknown cause
