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Stroke Warning Signs: What’s Legitimate, What’s Marketing, and What Everyone Should Know

A stroke is a true medical emergency. Brain tissue depends on a constant supply of oxygenated blood, and when that supply is interrupted—even briefly—permanent damage can occur. Rapid recognition and immediate emergency care can be the difference between recovery and lifelong disability.

Legitimate Stroke Warning Signs

The following symptoms are well-established in neurology and emergency medicine and should prompt an immediate call to 911:

  • Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
  • Facial drooping, especially on one side
  • Slurred speech or difficulty understanding speech
  • Sudden difficulty reading or speaking
  • Loss of peripheral vision or sudden visual changes
  • Difficulty walking, dizziness, or loss of balance
  • Sudden, severe headache often described as “the worst headache of one’s life”

These are not subtle symptoms and should never be ignored.

Simple At-Home Stroke Screening Tests (FAST and Beyond)

You are already using several clinically valid screening maneuvers. Here is the complete, evidence-based set, including the ones you mentioned:

1. Arm Drift Test

Ask the person to raise both arms straight out and hold them up.

  • Stroke sign: One arm drifts downward or cannot be held up equally.

2. Facial Smile Test

Ask the person to smile.

  • Stroke sign: One side of the face droops or the smile is uneven.

3. Speech Test

Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.

  • Stroke sign: Slurred speech, wrong words, or inability to speak clearly.

4. Cheek Puff / Air-Hold Test (what you already do)

Ask them to puff out their cheeks or hold air in their mouth.

  • Stroke sign: Air leaks from one side due to facial muscle weakness.

5. Tongue Deviation Test

Ask them to stick out their tongue.

  • Stroke sign: Tongue deviates to one side.

6. Hand Grip Strength Test

Ask them to squeeze both of your hands.

  • Stroke sign: One side is noticeably weaker.

7. Eye Gaze Test

Ask them to follow your finger with their eyes.

  • Stroke sign: One eye does not track properly or vision is impaired.

The FAST Rule (Public Health Standard)

Most emergency medicine uses the FAST acronym:

  • F – Face drooping
  • A – Arm weakness
  • S – Speech difficulty
  • T – Time to call 911

Time matters. Do not drive yourself or wait to see if symptoms pass.

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