Signs of Stroke in Women and Men: First Symptoms

Suddenly your arm goes numb — as if you slept on it, but the tingling does not go away. Or one side of your face seems to stop being yours, and your speech turns into mush. A stroke is a loss of blood flow in part of the brain, and cells begin to die within minutes.

What a stroke is and why it must be recognized early

A stroke is an acute disruption of blood supply to the brain with the sudden onset of neurological symptoms that persist for more than 24 hours or lead to death within a shorter period. Ischemic stroke occurs due to a thrombus blocking a vessel and accounts for about 80% of cases; hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to a ruptured vessel and bleeding into the brain. A similar condition is a transient ischemic attack, a "mini-stroke": blood flow is blocked briefly, cell damage is not permanent, but the risk of a real stroke after it is noticeably higher. Incidence increases with age starting from 30 years, and 95% of strokes occur after age 45.

First signs of stroke: common symptoms

Symptoms most often appear quickly. These are sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding; sudden vision problems in one or both eyes; sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; sudden severe headache with no known cause. The F.A.S.T. test is used for memorization: face (drooping when smiling), arms (when raising both arms, one drifts down), speech (slurred or strange), and time — call emergency services.

Signs of stroke in women

The signs listed above are the same for women and men. At the same time, stroke mortality in men is higher than in women, and age remains the most significant risk factor. If a woman's face suddenly droops, half of her body goes numb, or she loses speech — this is a reason to act as quickly as with a man.

Signs of stroke in men

The first signs of stroke in men are the same: one-sided weakness or numbness, impaired speech, vision, balance, sudden severe headache. Men die from stroke more often, so even a short episode of weakness or numbness that resolved on its own should not be underestimated: it may be a transient ischemic attack.

Signs of stroke in older adults

Age is the most significant risk factor: two thirds of strokes occur after age 65. Ischemic stroke more often develops in people over 60 years of age with a history of myocardial infarction, rheumatic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and diabetes mellitus. Older adults have the same sudden symptoms, and recognizing them is harder if there is no one nearby who knows how the person spoke and moved before.

When to call emergency services

Call 103 or 112 immediately if a person's face suddenly droops when smiling, one arm drifts down when raising both arms, speech has become slurred or strange, sudden weakness or numbness has appeared on one side of the body, sudden vision problems, loss of balance, or severe headache with no cause.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side
• Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding
• Sudden vision disturbances in one or both eyes
• Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

The diagnosis is made by a doctor: they ask about symptoms and medical history, check mental activity, coordination, sensation, and speech, and if necessary order brain imaging (CT or MRI) and heart examinations, including an electrocardiogram and echocardiography. This material is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation: if a stroke is suspected, every minute counts, and the decision is made by a medical professional.

This content is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Medical disclaimer