Would you know if you were having a stroke?

It sounds like an easy question, but it's surprising how many people don't know the signs of a stroke.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied 400 patients who had had strokes and found that only 42% of them recognized that they were having one. That means more than half did NOT know.

According to a press release issued by the Mayo Clinic, here are the signs you should watch for:

Strokes can happen quickly or can occur over several hours, with the condition continually worsening. The thrombus or clot that is causing the stroke can frequently be dissolved or disintegrated so blood can again flow to the brain. In such cases, immediate treatment can mean the difference between a slight injury and a major disability.

Interestingly only 20.8 percent of the participants knew about such treatment. By use of stents, medications and other technology, physicians can stop a stroke from spreading and greatly limit damage. Stroke symptoms include:

* Sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis of your face, arm or leg -- usually on one side of the body
* Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech (aphasia)
* Sudden blurred, double or decreased vision
* Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination
* A sudden, severe “bolt out of the blue” headache or an unusual headache, which may be accompanied by a stiff neck, facial pain, pain between your eyes, vomiting or altered consciousness
* Confusion or problems with memory, spatial orientation or perception

So, which category do you fall in?

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Don't forget!

Marijke: Nurse Turned Writer has been nominated as one of the best Canadian blogs. I'd love to see some movement in the voting though. In all fairness, I'm in competition with some pretty cool blogs so I'm not sure how it will go.

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