10 Early Warning Signs of a Stroke Everyone Should Know
A stroke can happen suddenly, and every minute matters. Don’t wait for symptoms to improve on their own.
- Sudden weakness or numbness — especially on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
- Face drooping — one side of the face may feel weak or appear uneven when smiling.
- Speech problems — slurred speech, difficulty speaking, or trouble understanding what others are saying.
- Sudden vision changes — blurred, double, or lost vision in one or both eyes.
- Sudden severe headache — particularly a sudden, unusual headache with no obvious cause.
- Sudden dizziness or loss of balance — difficulty walking, coordination problems, or unexplained vertigo.
- Sudden confusion — difficulty understanding, thinking clearly, or responding appropriately.
- Sudden difficulty swallowing — choking or unexpectedly struggling to swallow.
- Sudden trouble walking — stumbling or being unable to coordinate normally.
- Sudden loss of consciousness or extreme weakness — especially when accompanied by other neurological symptoms.
🚨 Remember BE-FAST
B — Balance: Sudden loss of balance
E — Eyes: Sudden vision changes
F — Face: Ask the person to smile
A — Arms: Ask them to raise both arms
S — Speech: Ask them to repeat a simple sentence
T — Time: Call emergency medical services immediately
A person does not need to have all these symptoms to be having a stroke. Even if symptoms disappear after a few minutes, it could be a TIA (“mini-stroke”) and still requires urgent medical evaluation.
If you suspect a stroke right now, call your local emergency medical service immediately rather than driving the person yourself. Note the time the symptoms started (or the last time the person was known to be normal), because this can affect treatment options.
