Stroke symptoms for women are a bit different compared to that of men. Women usually begin with mild stroke symptoms before hitting the big one. So it is important to know what the stroke symptoms for women are that we should look out for before things get any worse.
What is Stroke?
Stroke is a condition wherein our brain stops functioning due to the lack of oxygen. Our brain needs an adequate amount of oxygen for it to function well. When disruption of oxygen occurs, within minutes the brains cells will die.
Symptoms of stroke in women and men
These are the common stroke symptoms observed in both men and women:
• Trouble walking, specifically when you experience a sudden stumble due to dizziness, loss of coordination or balance.
• Has trouble speaking or understanding due to confusion. Unable to explain what’s been happening and can’t even repeat simple sentences.
• Numbness on one side of the body or at the face. When raising two hands becomes difficult or when the other arm falls down; or when one side of your mouth begins to drop especially when you’re trying to smile.
• Has sudden double or blurred vision in either one or both eyes.
• A sudden headache accompanied by vomiting, altered consciousness and dizziness.
Stroke Symptoms for Women
Stroke attacks in women are quite different from a normal stroke. It usually goes unnoticed due to its vague symptoms which can easily be associated to some other conditions. Because stroke is an attack in the brain, every minute counts. So a wrong treatment can cause more complications. Here are the stroke symptoms for women to watch out for.
• Pain in the face or limb pain
• Sudden hiccups
• Nausea
• Light headedness
• Sudden weakness
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden palpitations
• Seizure
• Fainting
Researches reveal that a number of women who suffer from stroke do not show any traditional stroke symptoms. This makes the stroke harder to detect. Almost 30% of cases of women’s stroke have not received any immediate treatment.
What to do when experiencing these symptoms of stroke
Every minute counts, so if you feel any of the symptoms stated above, call the nearest hospital. Or if you think someone you know is having a stroke, you can do these simple tests:
• Let the person smile and try to see if one side of the face is drooping.
• Let the person raise both of his/ her hands and observe if an arm gets drifted downward.
• Ask the person to say some few phrases and let him/her repeat them several times. Observe if his/her speech has become strange or slurred.
• If all observations say YES, then it’s time to call for emergency assistance.
How to prevent stroke in women
More women each year suffer from fatal stroke and most of them end up losing their lives. One big step as a preventive measure is to be familiar with the different stroke symptoms for women. Those who experience a first stroke attack will most likely have another one. And so as preventive measures, it is advisable to live a healthy lifestyle, maintain a normal weight, limit alcohol intake, stop smoking, control blood pressure and blood sugar, and keep to a diet therapy.
