What Are The Symptoms Of An Ischemic Stroke?

An ischemic stroke is a serious medical event where a blood clot becomes lodged in a blood vessel in the brain. Without a supply of blood, the brain cells begin to die in a matter of minutes. The underlying cause of an ischemic stroke can be from the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels or any other mechanism that can cause an embolus or clot to travel to or develop in the brain. Diagnosis of an ischemic stroke is made with a physical exam, MRI, CT scans, electroencephalogram, evoked potential tests, echocardiography, and angiography. An ischemic stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment to minimize the extent of permanent brain damage. Usually, full recovery is possible if emergency room treatment is sought within three hours of the stroke onset.

Symptom recognition is critical to the overall outcome in individuals who have an ischemic stroke.

Sudden Numbness Or Weakness

An individual in the process of having an ischemic stroke may experience sudden numbness or weakness in their face, hands, arms, legs, or feet. Numbness is the loss of sensation in a part of the body, but it does not always entail the parallel decline of motor function. Weakness is the impaired ability to move the muscles in one or more parts of the body but may not always include parallel impairment of sensation. Both sudden numbness and weakness alone or in combination, can indicate an individual is experiencing a stroke. Most individuals who have a stroke experience these symptoms on one side of their body and or face. This unilateral effect occurs when a stroke causes blood deprivation to the arteries responsible for supplying the nerves in the individual's brain responsible for sending signals to the muscles and nerves on the corresponding side of the body. The part of the body or face that experiences numbness or weakness may appear droopy or flaccid.

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