May 9, 2018

May 2018 – National Stroke Awareness Month

Archive.

May is National Stroke Awareness month, an opportunity to educate and raise awareness about the signs, symptoms, and treatments for strokes.  Knowing what to do if someone near you experiences a stroke, could help save a life and prevent disability.

Signs and Symptoms

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and of disability. Contrary to popular belief, any person of any age can experience a stroke.  The greater number of people who can recognize signs of a stroke, the better the chances that a person having a stroke will receive the care he or she needs quickly.  Below are some symptoms you can look for to alert you that a person may be experiencing a stroke.

  1. One side of the face droops. If one side of a person’s face is drooping or numb, this could be a sign of stroke.  Ask the person to smile, and then see if she or he is able to smile with both sides of the face or just one side.
  2. One side of the body is weak. Ask the person to lift both arms.  If one arm is numb or can’t be lifted all the way, the person may be having a stroke.
  3. It is difficult to speak. Ask the person to answer a simple question or repeat a simple sentence.  If his speech is slurred, or if he is unable to speak at all, this is cause for concern.

These symptoms along with a few others like, dizziness, difficulty walking, difficulty seeing, or confusion, are warning signs of stroke.  If someone near you experiences these symptoms, call 911 immediately.  Getting someone experiencing a stroke to the right hospital quickly could help prevent long-term effects associated with stroke.

Crisp Regional’s Excellent Care

Certain hospitals are better equipped to care for stroke patients than others, so it is best to get a stroke patient to a hospital where they can be best cared for.  Crisp Regional has been named a Remote Treatment Stroke Center –  a title which recognizes the hospital’s excellent care and emergency treatment for stroke patients.
Crisp Regional’s state of the art equipment and excellent medical and hospital staff has allowed the hospital to administer emergency medicine and outstanding care to stroke patients, enabling them to recover with minimal to no lasting difficulties.

Get involved

This month there are a few things you can do to participate in National Stroke Awareness month.

  1. Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke. Memorizing the symptoms listed above will ensure that you are able to react quickly and help a person who is having a stroke.
  2. Spread awareness. Take what you have learned and teach it to your friends and family.  The more people who know how to recognize a stroke, the better.
  3. Use social media. Using platforms like facebook and twitter to talk about the ways to recognize a stroke is a great way to spread awareness.
  4. Offer your support to organizations like Crisp that offer the best treatment and care to stroke patients.

Staying informed and using your voice to raise awareness about the signs, treatments, and risks associated with stroke is vital and could help save lives.    Use this month to learn more about how you can prevent the effects of stroke in the people near you.

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