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Stroke Awareness Month

What is a stroke, the symptoms and when to act Fast

May is Stroke awareness month

Stroke Awareness

May is Stroke Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness of the signs, symptoms, and impact of a stroke.

According to the Stroke Association, around 100,000 people experience a stroke each year in the UK—approximately one every five minutes.

What is a stroke?

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted, causing brain cells to die. The resulting brain damage can affect movement, speech, thinking, memory, and emotions. The effects vary depending on which area of the brain is affected and the extent of the damage.

Common symptoms

These are the some of the signs to look out

  • Face drooping on one side
  • Weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
  • Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
  • Sudden loss of balance or coordination
  • Sudden severe headache
  • Sudden vision problems

Types of stroke

  • An ischaemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke.
  • A haemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
  • A transient ischaemic attack (TIA, or mini-stroke) causes stroke-like symptoms that usually last for less than 24 hours.

Why stroke awareness matters

Stroke can have a major impact on a person’s life. It can happen at any age, and every individual may experience different long-term effects and recovery needs.

When a stroke happens, it is crucial to act FAST.

Recognise the signs: FAST

The NHS uses the FAST acronym to help people recognise the warning signs of a stroke quickly:

  • F – Face: Has one side of the face dropped or gone numb? Ask the person to smile—does it look uneven?
  • A – Arms: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms—does one drift downward?
  • S – Speech: Is their speech slurred, confused, or absent? Ask them to repeat a simple phrase, such as “The sky is blue.”
  • T – Time: If you notice any of these signs, call 999 immediately.

 

The first four hours after a stroke are especially important. Prompt treatment can reduce the severity of the stroke and limit long-term damage.

Here at Vital Workplace Training we cover strokes within our training courses,  for more information please contact us. You can email us info@vitalworkplacetraining.com or check out our website.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.